Report: Bryce Harper could return during Dodgers series

In a stunning development for the Philadelphia Phillies, it’s possible Bryce Harper could miss only 30 games following Tommy John surgery.

Per Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Harper has an appointment with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Harper’s surgery in November. If he is cleared to slide head-first in a game, Harper will be activated Tuesday night against the Dodgers.

He will return as a full-time designated hitter. The Phillies hope that Harper could return to the field as a first baseman at some point during the regular season.

It was originally expected that the Phillies were going to wait until the end of the roadtrip to insert Harper into the lineup, but that no longer appears to be the case. Harper began facing live pitching on April 18 when he faced Ranger Suárez in a simulated game in Chicago.

When the Phillies decided against placing Harper on the 60-day injured list during spring training, there was some hope that Harper could be ready to go by the end of May. Nobody at the time thought the first week of May was a possibility.

Rob Thomson told reporters, including NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman, that it would be a disappointment if Harper is not cleared on Monday.

We’ll have more on this story as more information becomes available.

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