It's wild to think about.
Harper has his follow-up appointment Monday in Los Angeles with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the prominent orthopedic surgeon who performed his Tommy John surgery on Nov. 23.
Phillies skipper Rob Thomson said he would be "shocked" if Harper isn't cleared on Monday.
The Phillies originally had offered an estimated timetable of sometime near the All-Star break when Harper had the surgery. Harper, however, appeared to be well ahead of that projection. He's been facing live pitching for the last month.
When Harper returns, he'll slide into the DH role, forcing the Phillies to make a roster move to clear a spot.
Eventually, the hope is that Harper can play some first base to give the Phils some added lineup flexibility.
Jake Cave and Kody Clemens are likely candidates to be bumped to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Harper on the 26-man active roster.
