Fresh off a year when he led the Phillies to the World Series and was named the MVP of the NLCS, Bryce Harper has undergone Tommy John surgery.
The procedure was meant to repair his torn UCL in his right elbow, the team announced on Wednesday. He’s expected to be able to return as a designated hitter by the All-Star break.
Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports was the first to report the news.
Harper dealt with the injury all last year, which prevented him from throwing and limited him to primarily designated hitter duties. It didn’t slow him down at the plate, as he batted .286/.364/.514 with 18 home runs in 99 games. He raised his production to a new level in October, hitting .349/.414/.746 with six home runs in 17 games.
Harper’s confinement to the DH presents challenges for Philadelphia’s other offensive-oriented outfielders, as both Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos are below average defenders. Brandon Marsh, a Gold Glove finalist last season, helps mitigate having to play both Schwarber and Castellanos in the field regularly.
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