Missing Our MVP
The Phillies still seem to be going through a World Series hangover. However, coming off back to back series victories the Phillies are finally starting to win a few more ball games. As they crawl back to .500 the Phillies are still looking to play their best baseball of this early season.
The trio of Bohm, Marsch, and Stott has been fantastic to start the season. Who knows where this team would be if the day care didn’t step up. There is no doubt the Hoskins injury a week before the season put a damper on things. The team misses his presence and they will all year. Even with the loss of Hoskins we are still missing one player who is irreplaceable: Bryce Harper.
The Baseball world, Philadelphia, and its fans acknowledge that he is hurt and we miss him, but it often goes understated how important Bryce Harper is to this team and this line-up. It is hard to argue with the dual-threat of Ohtani, but Bryce is a top five players in baseball, maybe even the best when healthy. Having Harper healthy changes the whole dynamic of the team. The offense has a different attitude. Different demeanor. Different production. And no wonder it does when the monster that is Bryce Harper steps into the box. The two time MVP has the potential to carry this team on his back. With the addition of Turner and the resurgence from the bullpen, the return from Harper can’t come soon enough.
The Return
Even with his MVP form, Harper has suffered multiple injuries while a member of the Phillies. Last season he suffered a UCL tear but was still able to hit (thank you DH). In the off-season Bryce had surgery to repair his UCL and is currently recovering at a historic pace. Most players miss a year plus after Tommy John surgery, but this is Bryce Harper we are talking about. The man defies logic and may be coming back right in time to get the Phillies season rolling.
All reports point to Harper returning for a May weekend series against the Red Sox. Initially, Harper was predicted to return after the All-Star break, which shows how insane his recovery time is. Now, with the injuries to Hoskins and Hall, Philadelphia finds themselves short of a first baseman. The right fielder, turned DH, is now learning first base. Again, this is how amazing Bryce Harper is. A superstar player, doing anything he can to get back on the field. He will even change to a position he has never played before. Players like this are rare to find in this era. What won’t this man do to make a return to baseball?
This Phillies team is missing its MVP. Giving a team excuses with this much talent outside of Bryce and Rhys is hard to do, but it is also impossible to state how important Bryce Harper is to this team. He is irreplaceable. This season will get going once our MV3 makes his return to the lineup in early May.
Photo Credit: Rich Schultz/Getty Images
