Bryce Harper Could Provide Another Huge Boost for the Phillies' Lineup

Bryce Harper, the reigning MVP, has returned to the Philadelphia Phillies, but he has yet to return to MVP form.

When Bryce Harper broke his thumb on June 25, it seemed like disaster had struck the Philadelphia Phillies. 

After a dismal showing in April and May, they had finally clawed their way back into Wild Card contention. Harper had been godly in June, batting .359 with a 202 wRC+. It was hard to see how the Phillies could stay afloat without him. 

But stay afloat they did. Indeed, they did a heck of a lot more than that. From June 25 to Aug. 25, the Phillies went 32-20 (.615). The conversation surrounding the team started to change. No longer were fans wondering if they could survive without Harper. Instead, fans were imagining just how dangerous this squad could be with their superstar back in the fold.

On Aug. 26, the reigning NL MVP came back to Philadelphia's lineup. Since then, the team is 10-8 (.555). Still good, but not exactly the juggernaut fans dreamed of. 

There are plenty of reasons why the Phillies haven't been quite as dominant since Harper's rejoined the team. For one, his return coincided with ace Zack Wheeler hitting the injured list. Not long after, Nick Castellanos landed on the IL too. 

But it also must be said that Harper hasn't been quite himself. His presence has helped Philadelphia's offense, but he did not immediately hit the ground running upon his return. 

In 17 games, the designated hitter is slashing .250/.384/.417 with an .801 OPS. For the vast majority of hitters, those would be more than satisfactory numbers. 

For Harper, however, who hit .324 with a 1.074 OPS and 40 home runs in the calendar year before his injury, those numbers reflect a slow start.

In other words, Bryce Harper is back, but he is not Bryce Harper quite yet. 

Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper looks on in the dugout / © Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

None of this should be cause for concern. It takes practice to readjust to major league pitching after a long absence, and fully recuperating from a broken thumb takes time. Harper should continue to recover as the year goes on.

Indeed, over the past few days, Harper has already shown promising signs of improvement. During a four-game hitting streak from Sept. 10-14, he crushed a double and two home runs. His homer on Sept. 10 was his first in 26 games. 

Four games are not enough to prove MVP Harper has truly returned (especially after his hitless outing on Thursday night). His recent performance does, however, indicate a return to form is coming.

And when it does...opposing teams had better look out. Before his injury, Harper had a 167 wRC+ this season. Since returning, he has a 123 wRC+. That's a 44 point difference. It's nearly the same as the gap between Shohei Ohtani (145 wRC+) and Alec Bohm (102 wRC).  

If Harper can return to MVP-level this season, Philadelphia will, essentially, gain another star player's worth of production. Such a boost would have a tremendous impact down the stretch and into the postseason.

Bryce Harper celebrates a solo home run with his teammates / © Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Phillies have won seven of their last ten, and they are still not at full strength. By the time October rolls around, they will—hopefully—have the reigning MVP and last year's Cy Young runner-up back in the fold. Those are late-season upgrades most teams can only dream of. 

With Harper back at MVP standard and Wheeler returning from the injured list, Philadelphia has the potential to be downright scary as the year draws to a close.  

More From SI's Inside The Phillies:

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2. How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
3. Could Bryce Harper's Favorite MLB Player Join the Philadelphia Phillies Next Season?
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9. How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot
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