The swing is back.
Nearly four weeks after landing on the injured list with inflammation in his right wrist, Bryce Harper is back in the Phillies’ lineup, officially reinstated from the 10-day IL ahead of Monday night’s series opener against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. To clear room on the 26-man roster, the club designated Buddy Kennedy for assignment.
Harper, who turns 33 in October, had played in 57 games before the injury derailed his season on June 7 (retroactive to June 6). And while his stat line doesn’t scream “vintage Bryce” — a .258 average, .814 OPS, 13 doubles, nine homers, and 34 RBIs — there’s no denying the Phillies missed the heartbeat of their lineup.
And don’t forget: even with a bum wrist, Harper still managed 35 walks, eight steals, and that patented stare that tells you a ballpark moment is coming.
This marks the latest chapter in what’s already been a winding season for Harper, who’s now in Year Seven of his 13-year, $330 million contract — the one that made him Philly’s most iconic free-agent signing since Jim Thome (and maybe ever).
As for Buddy Kennedy, he’s the kind of player every Philly fan wants to root for — a scrappy 26-year-old from Millville, N.J., just down the road from where Mike Trout made headlines as a high schooler. Kennedy only got into four games with the big club after his June 19 call-up, but he made a strong impression in Triple-A, hitting .283 with eight homers and a tidy .835 OPS in 61 games with Lehigh Valley.
Problem is, he's hit just .193 over his big league career with an OPS+ of 65.
He was acquired from the Tigers in June of 2024 for cash considerations. Now he finds himself in DFA limbo — proof that baseball, even for local kids with big-league dreams, can be unforgiving.
But Monday night isn’t about transactions or tough luck stories.
It’s about No. 3 jogging out of the dugout again. It’s about the possibility of that left-handed lightning waking up a Phillies offense that’s missed his fire and flair. It’s about Bryce Harper being back in a red pinstriped uniform — which, in this city, means anything can happen.
He was acquired from the Tigers in June of 2024 for cash considerations. Now he finds himself in DFA limbo — proof that baseball, even for local kids with big-league dreams, can be unforgiving.
But Monday night isn’t about transactions or tough luck stories.
It’s about No. 3 jogging out of the dugout again. It’s about the possibility of that left-handed lightning waking up a Phillies offense that’s missed his fire and flair. It’s about Bryce Harper being back in a red pinstriped uniform — which, in this city, means anything can happen.
