PHILS HAVE HUNG TOUGH — AND BRYCE HARPER’S RETURN IS IMMINENT
By Sam Bush
You have to hand it to the Phillies.
Most teams would fall apart if they lost the defending NL MVP, as they did on June 25 when Bryce Harper suffered a fractured left thumb that required surgery.
But they hung tough under manager Rob Thomson and today are in the second wild card playoff spot.
Harper took more than 50 swings at Citizens Bank Park on Monday and could begin a rehab assignment next week.
He was having another trophy-worthy year (.318/.386/.599, 15 homers) when a Blake Snell pitch fractured his thumb.
Can they threaten Atlanta, which leads them by six games, for home field advantage? Probably not, but a red-hot Harper in September and October would give Philly plenty to dream on.
