Bryce Harper’s Diagnosis of a Partial UCL Tear in His Throwing Arm
In May 2022, Harper’s throwing arm was found to have a partly torn UCL. Usually, pitchers hurt their UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) and need to have Tommy John surgery right away to fix the problem.
Harper did get hurt in 2022, but he didn’t go on the disabled list. Instead, he played through it and was only a designated hitter for the rest of the season. Harper had Tommy John surgery in November. This type of operation usually keeps pitchers out of action for more than a year, but position players recover faster.
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Bryce Harper’s Return Comes Just 160 Days After His Tommy John Surgery
The Philadelphia Phillies are set to get their best hitter back way sooner than expected. Bryce Harper is set to return on Tuesday after his surgically repaired elbow was cleared by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday, CBS Sports’ Jim Bowden confirmed.
The expectation is that Harper will be in the Phillies’ lineup Tuesday night against the Dodgers and will serve as the designated hitter. Monday, Harper seemed to announce that he’s back on Instagram, including the caption, “Aye Pham. You ready?”
Secrets Behind Bryce Harper’s Speedy Return
Actually, it’s because Harper is a pretty fast healer. Harper continued his training with the team instead of on his own, so doctors from the Phillies team watched him work. That might have moved up his schedule a little bit.
As was already said, pitchers usually need more time to heal. They usually can’t play again for about a year, and sometimes even longer. Hitters don’t need as much time to get back on their feet.
The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Bryce Harper has been reinstated from the injured list:
The Philadelphia Phillies announced that Bryce Harper has been reinstated from the injured list.
MV3 is officially back 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hbNRirDxzr
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 2, 2023
Still, Harper coming back in less than six months is a record. In 2004, infielder Tony Womack took 182 days to get back on the field. When Harper had surgery, the Phillies said that he would probably be back around the All-Star break in July.
Harper is only coming back as a batter because he is not yet cleared to play in the field. Harper will continue to be the designated hitter until he is given the all-clear to throw without limits.
