PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies activated All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper from the 10-day injured list Monday, ahead of their series opener against the San Diego Padres, the team announced. To make room on the 26-man roster, infielder Buddy Kennedy was designated for assignment. Harper, sidelined since June 7 with right wrist inflammation, returns to a Phillies team eager to solidify its National League East lead. Harper stated today that he felt his progress in recovery was at a “standstill,” but he can play at his best tonight despite that.
Bryce Harper Activated from Injured List, in Monday’s Lineup
Harper’s Impact and Team Performance
Before his injury, Harper powered the Phillies to a 34-19 record, with a triple slash of .267/.368/.446 with nine homers and 33 RBI in 57 games. Since his absence, Philadelphia had a meager 13-14 record, which included 4.9 runs per game in wins but just 2.6 in losses, per MLB.com. The team’s 49-35 record keeps them 1½ games ahead of the New York Mets in the NL East race. It’s important to note Harper played through the pain of this injury for some time before deeming it too much to endure.
Prior to tonight’s game against the San Diego Padres, the Phillies reinstated 1B Bryce Harper from the 10-day injured list. To make room on the 26-man roster, INF Buddy Kennedy was designated for assignment.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 30, 2025
Injury Details and Recovery
Harper’s wrist inflammation, which flared up this season after lingering last year, forced him to miss 27 games. He described the pain as debilitating, saying, “It got to the point where I couldn’t function on a baseball field.” Rest proved effective, and Harper progressed from tee swings to live pitching, with manager Rob Thomson noting, “He was great. His bat speed and timing looked fine.”
Harper took 45 swings daily during his rehab, targeting a return before the All-Star break. Speaking to the media today, he explained why today was the day to come back off the injured list, “Yeah, I didn’t think I was gonna take any other steps forward of feeling better or anything like that… We were kind of about at a standstill of feeling the same the last couple days… From BP, to live things like that, kinda gave us the same result.” He added that the team will schedule days off over the next couple of weeks and include more if necessary.
Bryce Harper explains why today was the day to return.
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/Qby0awzLIC
— On Pattison (@OnPattison) June 30, 2025
Outlook and Front Office Perspective
Harper’s return bolsters a top-heavy lineup. “We can generally describe Bryce Harper’s return as imminent … the signs are very good,” said MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski emphasized Harper’s value, stating, “His presence changes our lineup’s demeanor.” Harper’s name being in the Phillies lineup provides a fear factor that opposing teams need to account for.
Main Photo Credit: © Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
