Phillies' Bryce Harper to Have Elbow Surgery

Philadelphia will face the Texas Rangers in next year's season opener, but it's unclear if Harper will be ready.

Texas Rangers fans hoping to see Philadelphia slugger Bryce Harper in March’s season-opening series at Globe Life Field may end up being disappointed.

Philadelphia general manager Dave Dombrowski told reporters on Wednesday that Harper will undergo surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Nov. 23. What isn’t clear is how long Harper will be out. It’s also not clear if Harper will need Tommy John surgery.

Dombrowski said the team wouldn’t know the prognosis until after the surgery.

The Phillies are the Rangers’ Opening Day opponent at Globe Life Field on Thursday, March 30. After an off day, the Rangers and Phillies resume the series that Saturday and Sunday. The Rangers played the Phillies in Philadelphia last season.

Harper injured the elbow in April but kept playing. The Phillies moved him into a full-time designated hitter role and he went so far as to have a plasma injection in the elbow so he could continue playing.

With Harper as the DH, the Phillies made a run all the way to the World Series, where they eventually lost to the Houston Astros in six games.

Despite the injury, Harper batted .286/.364/.514/.877 with 18 home runs and 65 RBI in 99 games. He made the National League All-Star team for the seventh time, but the first time with the Phillies. He joined Philadelphia in 2019 after seven seasons with Washington.

Harper, when healthy, is one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters. He is a two-time MVP (2015, 2021) and the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year. He led the NL in home runs with 42 in 2015.

---

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.