August 4, 2022 6:36 PM : Harper (thumb) said Thursday he hopes to return from the injured list sometime in September, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Analysis: Harper has been sidelined since undergoing surgery to repair a fractured left thumb in late June, and he's been hesitant to put a timeline on his return from the 10-day IL other than suggesting that he intends to play again in 2022. As Lauber notes, Harper had the pins removed from his left thumb Monday, and he was able to begin a throwing program Wednesday after the time on the shelf had allowed him to heal up from the torn ligament in his right elbow that had limited him to designated-hitter duties since mid-April. Harper looks like he'll have a chance to complete his throwing program and resume an everyday role in right field once he's activated, but he'll still likely require a few weeks to ramp back up from both the elbow injury and thumb surgery.