PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper will undergo surgery next week to repair a torn ulnar lateral ligament in his right elbow that forced the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder to play designated hitter for most of last season. season.
The operation must take place on November 23 and according to Dave Dombrowski, president of the Phillies, it is after that will be known the deadline for achieving a complete recovery.
“We won’t have any predictions, actually, until he looks at the elbow,” Dombrowski said, referring to the doctor who will perform the operation.
“We will have something at that time with the operation and the anticipation of what will happen next. I think that will slow him down for the season. We will know more next week,” he added.
Harper suffered a minor tear in April and last patrolled right field April 16, in a game in Miami. The 30-year-old left-handed powerhouse hitter had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right elbow in May and was moved to the designated hitting position.
This week, Harper met Dr. Neal ElAttrache, a renowned orthopedic surgeon, who concluded that the tear had not healed on its own, thus forcing the operation.
“We always knew it was a possibility. It’s something we’ve known for months,” Dombrowski said.
The elbow injury didn’t stop Harper from shining on offense and leading the Phillies to their first World Series appearance since 2009. The Phillies lost in six games to the Houston Astros.
Towards the end of June, Harper suffered a broken thumb after he was hit by a pitch, and was sidelined for two months. He still finished the season with a .286 batting average, 18 home runs and 65 RBIs.
He was named Most Valuable Player in the National League Championship Series and completed the playoffs with a total of six homers.
Harper left the Washington Nationals and signed a 13-year, US$330 million free agent deal with the Phillies in 2019. National League.
A seven-time all-star, Harper was also named his team’s most valuable player while playing for the Nationals in 2015. In his career, he has racked up 285 home runs.
Dombrowski said Harper’s availability for the opener and the early stages of the next campaign may not affect any decisions he makes in the offseason. Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and even receiver JT Realmuto could be employed as designated hitters.
“You never want to lose Bryce, really don’t,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson admitted Wednesday.
“While we will miss him and look forward to seeing him back, it will give someone else an opportunity. »
