When the news came out that Bryce Harper would be getting Tommy John’s surgery the assumption was we would not see him until the All-Star break. Especially considering he didn’t get the surgery until late November. But then Bryce kept hitting recovery goals early. He has progressed much faster than anyone anticipated. And now today, we learned that they would not be putting him on the 6-day IL, meaning they think he could be back by the end of May. So to get more on the timetable for Harper’s return, The Best show Ever talked to Scott Lauber from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
So could he actually be back that early? Here is what Scott Lauber had to say…
“It has gone about as smoothly as they could or they expected. He progressed from dry swings to every other day he was hitting underhand flips in the batting cage. Now he is doing that every day. And this is what it is like. It is just baby steps…
I have heard the same thing you guys heard. Their intention is to not put him on the 60-Day IL. I won’t tell you that is not a meaningful development. But I would also caution you to not make too much of it. They could always put him on that list and backdate it to Opening Day. If let’s say they need a 40-Man roster spot on April 15th, they can put Harper on that list, and backdate it to March 30th, He would still be eligible to come off the list on May 30th. We shouldn’t just assume that because they have not put him on that list, they expect him back by the end of May.
It is possible. I have been someone who from the start who has said to bet the under non that back by the All-Star Break timeline. I know Bryce Harper, and I know how he operates. Anyone who knows him knows how he is wired. If you are telling me the All-Star break, I would tell you it will be before that. if you are telling me before the end of May, I am not so sure it will be before that. But it might not be too far after that.”