'Next week is definitely in play' for Harper's return from IL

ATLANTA -- Bryce Harper hopes to return to the Phillies' lineup next week.

Speaking before Friday's series opener against the Braves, the two-time MVP provided an estimated timetable for the first time since landing on the IL on June 7 due to right wrist inflammation.

"I think next week is definitely in play," Harper said. "But I don't want to solidify which day or anything like that. But I'm happy with where I'm at."

The Phillies return home on Monday, when they open a three-game set against the Padres. They then have an off-day on Thursday before hosting the Reds next weekend.

Harper checked off another box in his progression when he took early batting practice on the field at Truist Park hours before his teammates went through their pregame warmups. That came after taking BP in the cages a couple times in Houston earlier this week.

"I didn't feel great outside today, swing-wise," Harper said of Friday's BP session. "Obviously, health-wise, I felt fine. But swing-wise, I didn't feel very good."

He'll look to work on some of those timing issues when he faces live pitching on Saturday. The Phillies brought in a couple of Minor Leaguers -- Jack Dallas from Double-A Reading and Joel Kuhnel from Triple-A Lehigh Valley -- who will throw to Harper on the field this weekend.

"We'll see how he comes out of it tomorrow," manager Rob Thomson said prior to Friday's game. "We'll see how he comes out of that, and then we'll figure out what we're doing."

Though Harper wasn't happy with his swing on Friday, he's thrilled with the progress he's made physically.

While he acknowledged that there are still some "aches" around his wrist, he said he doesn't feel pain at all in the one spot that was hurting him the most when they shut him down a few weeks ago. Even those aches might be nothing more than working out and ramping back up after the layoff.

There's been no swelling and both Harper and the medical staff are pleased with how the inflammation has gone down.

"If you had told me three weeks ago [I'd be] where I am now, I would have said you're kind of crazy," Harper said. "So I'm very happy with where I am. I'm way farther ahead than I felt like I would be. Definitely way healthier than I was a couple weeks ago."

Of course, once Harper returns, the focus becomes how he prevents this from happening again.

After all, this is the same wrist issue that Harper played through from May onward last season. The inflammation went away during the offseason, but returned sometime in April.

Without many answers to what exactly is causing it, are the Phillies confident it won't hamper Harper later in the season?

"I don't really know yet. I think it's going to take us some time of playing and seeing kind of where I'm at," Harper said. "Being super up front with you guys, I don't know. Right? As I go, obviously, you guys will know and see what I'm doing. But the thought and the hope is that I don't feel that."

Harper said the medical staff has been doing a lot of work that has helped alleviate the pain in his wrist much quicker than expected. Along with continuing that treatment, he could potentially make some minor changes to his routine if they think it will help him long term.

But don't expect Harper to overhaul his approach at the plate.

"I don't want to manipulate my swing at all," he said. "If I have to manipulate my swing in any way, then I shouldn't be out there playing, right? I don't think it's conducive to me or my team or anybody else to switch the way I'm doing things on a baseball field to maybe play at 70%.

"I want to play at the highest percentage I can. Obviously, nobody is 100% during the season, but I want to play at the highest level that I can and I don't want to manipulate my swing or what I'm doing in the box."