Is Bryce Harper Nearing Return? Phillies Star Homers In Rehab At-Bat

The Phillies are hoping to hold onto a National League Wild Card spot, and Philadelphia may be getting their reigning NL MVP back.

Bryce Harper suffered a left broken thumb after being hit by San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell on a 97 mph fast ball on June 25. The Phillies put the seven-time All-Star on the injured list and he has been out since then.

Harper made his first rehab start Tuesday in Triple-A action for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and it didn’t take long for the 29-year-old to look like his old self. On a 2-2 count, Harper blasted a hanging slider from Gwinnett Stripers pitcher Jared Shuster, who is a New Bedford, Mass. native.

You can watch the dinger below:

The fans at Coca-Cola Park were delighted to see Harper go yard in the bottom of the first inning, and the homer appeared to even surprise Harper as the two-time MVP was seen laughing while running the bases.

The Stripers even had fun with the moment on Twitter.

“Phillies prospect Bryce Harper goes deep to cut the Stripers lead 3-1,” the Stripers tweeted. “Admittedly, he looks like one to watch in the future.”

The Athletic’s Jayson Stark noted it was Harper’s first minor league home run since June 26, 2013, against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans — he was 20 years old at the time.

Heading into Tuesday, the Phillies held a 1.5 game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers for one of the NL Wild Card spots. Kyle Schwarber has helped the Phillies during Harper’s absence — leading the team in home runs (34) and RBIs (71) — but if Philadelphia hopes to make an extended postseason run, they’ll need Harper back hitting dingers like he did Tuesday night.