ALLENTOWN — Bryce Harper’s minor-league rehab at Triple-A started off with a bang.
Stepping in the batter’s box for the first time in two months, the reigning National League MVP blasted a first-inning home run over the right-center-field wall at Lehigh Valley’s Coca-Cola Park as the IronPigs took on the Gwinnett Stripers on Tuesday night.
Harper, who’s been on the injured list since June 26 with a broken left thumb, took left-hander Jared Shuster 375 feet with an exit velocity of 107 mph. He’ll get as many at-bats as he feels he needs on Tuesday, likely around four to start off.
“That’ll kind of be up to him,” Lehigh Valley manager Anthony Contreras said pregame. ” When he’s feeling good and wants to stay in there, he’ll stay in. And he’ll kind of dictate what goes on from there.”
The superstar left-handed hitter is expected to DH for the IronPigs through Saturday, and he could rejoin the Phillies next week. Batting .318/.385/.599 this season before the injury, Harper’s return should be a huge boost for a Philadelphia team that has done more than survive in his absence, providing a huge bat in the middle of the lineup as the team pushes for a NL Wild Card spot.
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