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The timeline for Bryce Harper’s return is getting clearer

Bryce Harper’s return may not be far off. (Don Otto)

The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t issued an exact return date for Bryce Harper yet, but there’s enough information that’s been given out publicly to make an educated guess that the two-time NL MVP isn’t far away from DHing.

Manager Rob Thomson said before Thursday’s game against the Colorado Rockies that the Phillies are “very encouraged” with Harper’s progress as he returns from Tommy John surgery.

After two previous live batting practice sessions against Ranger Suárez, Harper had another against minor league pitcher Victor Vargas Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. And unlike when he returned from his broken left thumb last August, it doesn’t appear as though Harper will make a stop at Triple-A Lehigh Valley before returning to the Phillies.

“It doesn’t look like he’s going to do a rehab assignment,” Thomson acknowledged. “We’ve got all the stuff that we’re doing here. We’re bringing in pitchers to simulate at-bats. We’ve got this new Trajekt machine downstairs that you can put any pitcher on the planet on video and replicate his stuff, so he can get at-bats down there. So we think that as far as DHing is concerned, we’re covering all the bases.”

Thomson said that Harper will be visiting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache — who performed his Tommy John surgery on Nov. 23 — “right around” May 1. ElAttrache is the head physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Phillies will be at Chavez Ravine from May 1-3.

And if Harper is given clearance to slide by ElAttrache, a lengthy ramp-up period doesn’t seem like it will be in store.

“What the plan is really is that we cover everything that we need to cover prior to that,” Thomson said. “And then we talk to the doctor and figure out when it’s the best time to start DHing.”

At one point, Memorial Day, give or take, felt like an optimistic timeline for when Harper could be back as the DH. But Thomson conceded last week that Harper is ready to hit in game action now and since being able to slide is the only remaining hurdle, perhaps it will be much sooner than late May.

Maybe, just maybe, Harper could be penciled into the lineup at some point during a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park against the Boston Red Sox from May 5-7.

More Bryce Harper News

Harper returning to the field — which it now appears will happen at first base, as opposed to right field — will not be immediate.

With that said, Harper threw up to 60 feet Thursday, which Thomson noted was “the first day that he’s really had a throwing program.”

Even if playing first base puts less stress on your elbow than playing right field, Harper still needs to be able to throw without any restrictions to play in the field. It’s unclear how long it will take Harper to build up as a thrower.

But for whatever it’s worth, Harper seemed to be taking an afternoon session with infield coach Bobby Dickerson very seriously as he attempts to learn a new position.