Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper had to play a big portion of the 2022 season and the playoffs with a torn ligament in his elbow.
He was still able to post excellent numbers that year, and took his team to the World Series with elite playoff performances.
He did require Tommy John surgery in late 2022, so he had a late start to the 2023 campaign.
In his first year after the procedure, the two-time NL MVP hit .293/.401/.499 with a .900 OPS and 21 home runs in 126 games.
They say power is the last thing to return after major elbow surgery.
It makes sense: the joint takes some time to regain full strength.
Even in said circumstances, Harper was able to exceed expectations.
Now, in 2024, another year removed from the surgery, he could very well return to the monster level he showed in 2021 when he won his second MVP.
MLB posted some of his projections, made by FanGraphs.
It’s safe to say they are gaudy:
Bryce Harper is locked in for 2024. 🔒 pic.twitter.com/JlT7jWINne
— MLB (@MLB) January 31, 2024
FanGraphs has Harper returning 30-homer power and driving in 97 runs to place in the top-ten in the National League.
His projected OBP is .389, very much in the ballpark of what he has done for his entire career.
His OPS of .907 is projected to be the seventh-best mark in MLB.
As long as Harper is healthy, he will be productive, and if that happens, the Phillies will likely be players once again.
They haven’t won the World Series since 2008, but came very close in 2022 and have the talent to make another similar run in 2024.
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