PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper went deep for the Phillies of their house opener. Sort of.

Harper hit batting apply house runs - yet one more encouraging signal for the National League champions who're struggling within the early going that the two-time NL MVP may return to the lineup a lot sooner than anticipated, on the very least nicely earlier than the All-Star break.

The Phillies have Harper on the 10-day injured checklist as he recovers from offseason reconstructive elbow surgical procedure reasonably than the 60-day IL, which might have dominated him out till May 29.

Manager Rob Thomson watched the NLCS MVP take his cuts Friday at Citizens Bank Park about 4 1/2 hours earlier than the Phillies performed the Cincinnati Reds. Harper took on-field batting apply earlier this week at Yankee Stadium for the primary time since Tommy John surgical procedure final fall.

“It’s not bothering him to swing the bat,” Thomson stated.

Thomson stated there was nonetheless no timeline on Harper’s return and the largest concern was sliding. There was additionally no timetable on when Harper may resume throwing.

“First things first, we’ve got to get him to slide, and then get him into games,” Thomson stated. “Then we’ll figure the other part out.”

Harper is beginning the fifth season of a $330 million, 13-year contract with the Phillies. He hasn’t performed proper discipline since final April 16. He had a platelet-rich plasma injection on his elbow in May and have become a full-time designated hitter to complete the season.

The Phillies entered at 1-5 and have been riddled by accidents. Notably, first baseman Rhys Hoskins is on the on the 60-day IL with torn left ACL sustained in spring coaching; his restoration time is estimated at 7-9 months.

Hoskins was changed by at first by Darick Hall - who was positioned on the 10-day injured checklist Friday with a proper thumb sprain. He was changed within the home-opener lineup by Kody Clemens, son of former pitcher Roger Clemens.

The 26-year-old Clemens, acquired in an offseason take care of the Tigers, hit .319 with three house runs and 10 RBIs in 47 at-bats throughout spring coaching.

Thomson stated Clemens would get the majority of the begins in opposition to right-handers.

“He had a great spring training and he would have made our club except it just didn’t fit,” Thomson stated. “He had that type of spring training. I have complete confidence in him, for sure.”

Thomson stated the Phillies would “figure it out” in opposition to lefties. He didn’t rule out transferring third baseman Alec Bohm to first in opposition to robust left-handers.

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