The latest on Bryce Harper ahead of Phillies vs. Mets series

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies will be without Bryce Harper (right wrist inflammation) for the series opener against the Mets, but he is making progress. 

The Phillies first baseman is cleared to swing a bat. He took 20 “dry swings” and 20 swings off of a tee on Friday. He was out playing catch and taking ground balls at first base pregame. 

There is still no official timetable for a return. 

“I’m happy with where I’m at,” Harper said. 

The Phillies and Harper have so far been vague with details regarding his potential return. Rob Thomson did say that there is “no chance” that Harper will go on rehab assignment before returning. 

The bigger question is whether or not the wrist will become a problem later in the year. Harper played through wrist pain last season. The pain finally went away during the offseason in December, but returned earlier in the season. 

“I feel like when I came back and I was feeling the pain, it just wasn’t a pain that I can tolerate on the field,” Harper said. “I understand what I can tolerate, what I can’t. I’ve played through pain in my career. I think everybody has at some point. When I can play through the pain, I do. It got to the point where I just couldn’t do it.” 

Could the wrist flare up again, causing him to miss more time later in the season? Harper hopes that is not the case, but he can’t say for certain that it won’t be a problem again. 

“I’m not happy that it came back, right? I was pain free for about four-and-a-half months, and it just came back randomly,” Harper said. “That’s always tough, but I think those are things that we’re going to have to answer once I get going again: How many swings am I going to take. How many times I’m going to throw the ball. It’s tough not to take those swings or do any of those things, but I’m just going to try to figure that out once we get there.” 

The good news is that Harper is only dealing with inflammation. There is no structural damage. Harper does not anticipate needing surgery on the wrist in the future. 

With Harper out, Otto Kemp will continue to get reps at first base against right-handed pitching. New call-up Buddy Kennedy will start at first base against left-handed pitching. That would shift Kemp to left field against southpaws. With Weston Wilson optioned to Triple-A, Kemp could be Max Kepler’s new platoon partner. 

The 25-year-old could make his first start in the outfield on Sunday night when the Phillies face Mets left-hander David Peterson. Kemp made only seven starts in left field in Lehigh Valley. He’s getting some extra work at the position pregame. 

“I feel comfortable with him because I’ve seen him out there before,” Thomson said about Kemp. “He works diligently at it. During BP, it looks like he takes good routes and sees the ball off the bat.”