Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Bryce Harper Injury Update: Good News for Phillies

A 95 mph fastball to the elbow!

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The first inning at Citizens Bank Park began with electricity and ended in dead silence. Bryce Harper, the face of the Phillies exited Tuesday’s game after taking a 95 mph Spencer Strider fastball directly to his right elbow. The sound of the impact was almost immediately drowned out by gasps and boos, as Harper dropped to a knee in pain and manager Rob Thomson along with trainer Joe Rauch sprinted from the dugout.

Bryce Harper X-rays negative pic.twitter.com/lzrZyvPmVI
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) May 27, 2025

Bryce Harper never made it to first base. After a short consultation, he left the game cradling his arm, replaced by Edmundo Sosa as Alec Bohm slid across the diamond to first base. Fans feared the worst. But for now, they’ve been given reason to exhale.

The team later announced Harper is dealing with a right elbow contusion and will undergo further evaluation on Wednesday. All things considered, it’s about as optimistic a diagnosis as possible following such a terrifying moment.

Max Kepler, whose second-inning double accounted for the Phillies’ only hit off Strider, said, “Everyone was holding their breath when it first happened. It definitely hurts. But it’s very relieving to know it’s nothing major, and hopefully, he’ll be back with the team soon.”

Even Strider, who immediately removed his cap and watched Harper closely as he was treated, acknowledged the gravity of the moment.

ALSO READ: Yankees Were Sure Juan Soto Was Staying – Until One Lunch Changed Everything

“I’m certainly not trying to hit him,” Strider said. “I was just pissed I hit him. I saw him in pain and that was tough. I’m definitely relieved he is OK.”

A Bryce Harper Injury That May Be All Too Familiar

Harper’s history with hit-by-pitches has included a few close calls and at least one major setback. Earlier this year, he was struck by a 92 mph pitch during Spring Training, also on the right arm, but emerged with only a bruise. In September last season, he exited after taking a pitch to his left elbow, yet was back in the lineup the very next day.

The scariest incident came in 2021, when a 97 mph fastball from Genesis Cabrera caught him square in the face. Harper somehow returned to action just three games later, but lingering effects eventually landed him on the injured list with a wrist issue tied to the same play.

The most significant injury of his career from an HBP came on June 25, 2022. A 97.2 mph heater from Blake Snell fractured Harper’s left thumb, sidelining him for two months during a crucial stretch of the season.

ALSO READ: ‘Only Losers Complain’: Bryce Harper Defends Dodgers Amid Near Perfect Start and Big Payroll

Compared to that, this week’s hit to the elbow feels like a bullet dodged, for now. Bryce Harper will undergo more tests on Wednesday, but early indications are positive.

Bryce Harper

Phillies

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.