While morale is low following another weekend series loss to the Mets, help is on the way for the Phillies. Reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper will begin a rehab stint with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, on Tuesday:
Harper has been missing in action since fracturing his left thumb on June 25 after being hit by a pitch in San Diego.
Harper getting reinserted into the Phillies' lineup isn't going to magically fix some of the team's issues, like its bullpen woes, but having a player of his caliber return his huge for the Fightins' playoff hopes.
As of this writing, the Phillies are 66-55. In the NL Wild Card standings, they're a half-game behind the Padres for the second WC spot and 1.5 games up on the brewers for that final playoff spot. If the final standings end up being what they are now, the Phillies would head to St. Louis for a best-of-three Wild Card series to open the postseason. It would be Harper's first ever playoff action in a Phillies uniform.
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