Help is on the way for the Philadelphia Phillies hit-and-miss offense. Designated hitter Bryce Harper had the pins removed from his surgically repaired left thumb according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. The reigning National League MVP will begin a hitting program immediately.
A timetable for a rehab assignment and return to the lineup is unknown.
Harper has been out of action since June 25 after being hit by an errant fastball from San Diego starter Blake Snell. Harper had surgery on June 28, having pins placed into his thumb. At the time of the injury, Harper was a leading candidate to repeat as National League MVP. The 29-year old was slashing .318/.385/.599 with 15 HRs, 21 2Bs, 1 3Bs, 9 SBs, and 48 RBIs.
The Phillies offense has been consistently inconsistent since Harper left the lineup. As a unit, the Fightin’s hit .254 with 32 HRs, 35 2Bs, and 105 RBIs for the month of July. The Phillies have gone 17-12 in the 29-games Harper has been out of the lineup. They are currently one-game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the final NL Wild Card spot. The Phillies have a 77.1% chance to make the postseason according to Baseball-Reference.com.
