Bryce Harper continues to be ahead of schedule after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.
According to AP Sports, he will report to spring training on Wednesday as he continues rehabilitation.
There has been optimism surrounding his health with Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson saying he believes the two-time National League MVP is “a little bit ahead,” of schedule.
“But oftentimes, you say that about a player, and all the sudden they have a setback,” Thomson told media in February. “So just knocking on wood and making sure we’re careful with how we keep progressing him.”
Harper had been dealing with his UCL injury throughout the playoffs last season. His numbers never showed signs of descending as he played through it.
He helped send the Phillies to the World Series against the Houston Astros — the first appearance since 2009. When it was playoff time, the two-time National League MVP went off — A .349 average with a 1.160 OPS and six home runs. During the regular season, he boasted a .286/.364/.514 line.
The initial prognosis for Harper was to return by the All-Star break. The hope is to have him as the Phillies’ designated hitter in the beginning (around mid-May), then transition him back into the full-time right fielder.
See? Appears there is a silver lining to the Universal DH after all.
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.