Bryce Harper Shares Surprising Information About His Concerning Injuries

The Philadelphia Phillies superstar has shared information on the concerning injuries he's playing through.

Aug 20, 2024; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) in the dugout prior to the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

After an electric comeback victory by the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday to win an important game against the Atlanta Braves, they were completely dominated on Friday.

These next two contests will go a long way in determining the fate of the Phillies this season as they could suffer from one of the most shocking collapses in Major League Baseball history, or they could earn the top seed if they can figure out how to play like they did early in the year.

Right now, it just doesn't feel like the same team who held the best record in the MLB for the majority of the season.

Whether they can turn it around to build momentum heading into the playoffs will be seen, but the most concerning thing for Philadelphia at the moment is the health of superstar Bryce Harper.

A report by Todd Zolecki of MLB.com revealed that Harper is dealing with multiple injuries right now that might have an impact on how he's performing at the plate.

"All of it. The elbow. The wrist. It's not anything crazy, but obviously it's there," he said. "I don't want to make excuses for what I do. You know what I'm saying? I've just got to get through it. Hopefully it gets better, rather than getting worse. [The wrist's] finally getting to the point where I feel like it's turning a corner. My elbow is just, like, there."

When people hear something is going on with his elbow, that musters some concern since Harper underwent Tommy John surgery after the World Series in 2022.

However, he says his sore elbow has nothing to do with the surgically repaired ligament.

While that's a good sign, Harper also revealed he's been dealing with the wrist injury since May, a signal that this could be something that lingers into the playoffs.

The superstar has downplayed the impact this might have in the postseason, though, giving a surprising response on how he can play through this and be effective.

"I just have to. That's it. It's part of the game. It's part of the process of going through a season. Just got to stay the course, understand that I rely heavily on my body. I've just got to go," he said.

The Phillies are going to be in major trouble if Harper isn't the MVP-caliber player he's been during their last two playoff runs, especially with how poor Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner are performing at the plate right now.

Prior to the All-Star break, he slashed .301/.403/.579 with 21 homers and 61 RBI.

He hasn't hit a home run since Aug. 9, only blasting two total long balls in the month of August that has seen his slugging percentage drop to .480.

But, despite not being a deep threat, Harper has still found a way to be effective.

After going 3-for-4 with two doubles on Friday, he now has a batting average of .394 to go along with six doubles and three RBI in his last nine games.

Maybe that's a sign his wrist and elbow are starting to feel better.

Or maybe he's just adjusting to his newfound reality that makes it difficult for him to be a power hitter, but still allows him to put the ball in play like a star player of his caliber.

Either way, this will be something to continue monitoring down the stretch as the Phillies now have more things to worry about than if they are going to win the division or not.