Phillies’ Bryce Harper took batting practice at Yankee Stadium, will do so at home Thursday
NEW YORK — Bryce Harper took batting practice Tuesday at Yankee Stadium off of hitting coach Kevin Long and will do so again Thursday when the Phillies are at Citizens Bank Park for their home opener.
Harper’s rehab from Tommy John surgery performed on November 23 is going very well, according to Harper and Phillies manager Rob Thomson.
There is still no specific return date, but it seems like Harper will be back well ahead of the conservative initial timetable the Phillies provided of the All-Star break. Early-to-mid June could be a possibility.
“He feels great,” Thomson said. “It’s not hitting we’re concerned about, it’s sliding. We’ve got to get clearance from the doctor on that first. If he slides head-first, he could rupture it and then we’re back to square one.”
The next step for Harper is high-velocity work in the batting cage. After that, he’d take live batting practice, then begin a minor-league rehab assignment.
Still several hurdles to clear. But so far, so good.
“I think we’re close to where he was before, in fact he feels like his right arm is stronger than his left because he’s done so much rehab on it,” Thomson said.
It is unlikely Harper plays right field this season but the Phillies are focused on getting his bat back into the lineup in the DH spot. Harper was not initially a fan of the designated hitter coming to the National League last year but he’s grateful it happened, otherwise the elbow injury he suffered last April would have ended his season. He played 90 games as the Phillies’ DH and hit .296/.368/.522 with 17 of his 18 home runs.
