Philadelphia Phillies Superstar's Injuries Are a Big Reason for Concern

The Philadelphia Phillies should be very concerned about Bryce Harper's recent injury issues.

Aug 31, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) on the field before the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies are heading towards the postseason looking like a team that could contend for the World Series. Heading into Monday's action, the Phillies hold an 81-56 record and are seven games up in the National League East division.

Unfortunately, there is one cause for potential concern heading down the stretch of the regular season.

Bryce Harper, the team's superstar first baseman, is dealing with multiple nagging injury issues.

He has been dealing with a wrist injury that he has been struggling with since May, but the elbow injury has been an injury that has come up more recently.

Recently, Harper spoke out about the injuries. He doesn't seem too concerned about them, but they are something to monitor that could hamper his production down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

"It's part of the game. It's part of the process of going through a season. Just got to stay the course and understand that I rely heavy on my body."

Why should this cause concern for Philadelphia? Quite simply, in order to win a championship, they are going to need Harper to play to his best ability.

Even though the Phillies have plenty of other talented hitters, they will only go as far as Harper can power them. He truly is the heart and soul of the team.

Since the All-Star break, Harper has not had nearly as much power. He has just five home runs in that time frame. Those numbers are a bit concerning.

Hopefully, he will be able to get back to full health throughout the remainder of the regular season. Philadelphia has 25 games left on the schedule before the playoffs. That will give him a bit of time to get himself back on track at the plate.

If he is unable to make the full impact that he's capable of during the postseason, the Phillies will have a much more difficult road to a championship.

All of that being said, the injuries are something to keep a very close eye on. Philadelphia needs its superstar playing at his best. Whether it's the injuries or something else, Harper has not been playing at that level in recent weeks.

It's a reason for concern, but there isn't a need to panic just yet. There is still time for him to get healthy.