May 16, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) waits in the dugout to bat during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
Bryce Harper spoke at length prior to Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the third consecutive tilt he'll be out of the Phillies lineup for as he recovers from a swollen right elbow.
This is the errant Spencer Strider pitch that knocked Bryce Harper out of the game.
(Via @TalkinBaseball_)
pic.twitter.com/6kRKCYpf4x
— On Pattison (@OnPattison) May 27, 2025
Harper, of course, was removed from Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves after an errant Spencer Strider pitch hit him in the area of his right elbow. Listening to him talk Friday afternoon, you didn't get the sense that a return was imminent.
"Still super sore," Harper acknowledged. "Obviously getting treatment and things like that. Not sure when I'm gonna play again."
Harper did say that the swelling has gone down, but not to the point where he's swung a bat. When asked if he would try to swing today, Harper said "probably not." He did some defensive work in the field Friday, but nothing that involved throwing.
Naturally, Harper was asked if he thinks he'll need to go on the injured list.
"Uhh...I hope not," Harper responded. "At this point, it's gonna be three games today. So again, we're super day-by-day, but I don't think so."
Like he said, though, things are day-to-day. If the Phillies decide tomorrow, for example, to place Harper on the 10-day injured list, they could backdate it three days. Then he would only need to miss a week of action. The longer Harper goes without being close to returning to the lineup, the more going on the IL for a brief period might make some sense.
One of the realities of being such a feared hitter is that opposing pitchers are terrified to leave a pitch over the middle of the plate, so they pitch you inside, which can lead to getting plunked more often. Even still, Harper seems to be hit in violent manners much more frequently than other stars.
Harper was hit in the face in April of 2021 by a pitch from Génesis Cabrera, then pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals. The next season, a chance to potentially win back-to-back NL MVPs was ruined when Blake Snell, pitching for the San Diego Padres, hit Harper in the right hand, fracturing his thumb and forcing him to miss two months. And now this. Harper hasn't spoken to Strider, but said he didn't believe there was any intent in the pitch. Still, it has knocked him out for at least a few games.
Bryce Harper spoke at length just now about the swelling in his elbow, his plans to wear a guard and how he didn’t think there was any intent from Spencer Strider.
I also asked if he’s frustrated with the rate that he seems to get hit up and in.
[image or embed]— Tim Kelly (@timkellysports.bsky.social) May 30, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Is Harper frustrated by the rate that he seems to get up and in?
"Yeah, I mean, I think that's where teams kind of go against me," Harper answered. "It's a bummer, just because guys throw so hard now. But, I mean, that's where guys go. Sinkers in, heaters up and in.
"I understand throwing inside. I totally get that. I'm all for it in baseball and getting guys off pitches away," Harper continued. "But just control, guys throw a little too hard now to do that up and in, things like that."
Rob Thomson said prior to Thursday's doubleheader that he hopes Harper will wear a guard on his elbow moving forward. There doesn't seem to be any pushback from the eight-time All-Star, who said "yeah, probably" when asked if he plans to wear a guard moving forward.
It's hardly a foreign concept to Harper, as he wore one after returning from Tommy John surgery in the 2023 season, specifically when running the bases (seen above in the first picture). He also hit with a compression sleeve over some padding that campaign (seen above in the second picture)
"There's times where I'm OK with it, and there's other times where it feels kind of weird," Harper said. "We found a brace that I wore during the Tommy John, so I'll probably wear that again. And then a brace on top of that, just to kind of fill it out.
"It's really hard to find braces that kinda feel good ... that don't feel as bulky or anything like that," Harper added. "I haven't really worn them my whole career. I have here and there just to feel it. I did in Spring Training this year because of this reason. I didn't like the way it felt. Obviously, just gotta figure it out."
One thing you shouldn't expect is for Harper to adjust his batting stance in any way.
"I'm not gonna back off the plate," Harper said. "I've always kind of been on top of the plate. Like I said, I totally understand throwing inside. It's part of the game. I get it. It's just a little scarier nowadays just because guys throw a little harder. So there's a little bit of give and take with that, right? So, wearing a brace, wearing an arm guard, that helps a little bit."
Exactly when Harper will step back into the batter's box with additional gear on his elbow — and if it will come after a stint on the IL — is unclear.
All pictures used in this story come courtesy of Imagn Images.
