Phillies’ Bryce Harper Has Pins Removed From Thumb; Cleared to Ramp Up Injury Rehab

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Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper had pins removed from his left thumb Sunday, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.

Zolecki noted Harper “can start to ramp up his rehab toward a return” as a result.

The reigning National League MVP has continued to tear the cover off the ball during the 2022 season. Through 64 games, he has 15 home runs, a .599 slugging percentage and a 174 OPS+.

Injuries have been the only thing that can slow down Harper, and he hasn’t played since June 25.

The 2022 All-Star was diagnosed with a small tear in his right UCL in May, which briefly took him out of the lineup and limited him to designated hitter duties upon returning. Then he underwent surgery in June for a broken thumb resulting from a hit-by-pitch in a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

The Phillies didn’t rule Harper out for the remainder of the year, but it was unclear when he’d be healthy enough to step back on the field.

That was obviously terrible news for Philadelphia as it looks to secure at least a wild-card berth in the NL.

The front office attempted to address the biggest weaknesses in the roster in the offseason—most notably transforming the bullpen—yet Philly is still hugely dependent on Harper’s production.

The Phillies still have Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins and Nick Castellanos to carry the offense when Harper is unavailable, but the impact of his absence can’t be overstated.