June 28, 2022 5:27 PM : Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson said Harper will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair his fractured left thumb, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Thomson declined to put a timeline on Harper's recovery from surgery, but Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported earlier Tuesday that the two-time National League MVP could be back from the 10-day injured list in as few as six weeks. A mid-August return may be on the more ambitious side, however, and the possibility exists that the Phillies could delay activating Harper if the team finds itself out of contention by late summer. Before he fractured the thumb Sunday when it was hit by a pitch, Harper had been playing through a small tear in the UCL of his right (throwing) elbow, which had prevented him from playing the outfield since April 16. If there's a positive side to Harper being shut down following thumb surgery, it's that it'll afford him more time to heal from the elbow injury.