Philadelphia Phillies fans concerned with Bryce Harper returning to action wearing a heavy-duty cast: "That's definitely not healthy"

Bryce Harper has returned from the IL after having Tommy John surgery on November 23. His 160-day turnaround is the quickest the league has ever seen for a player returning from Tommy John surgery.

He's the team's designated hitter, as he still has some rehab to throw again from the outfield. Harper still has to protect his elbow, so he's sporting a full-blown cast.

Harper is a huge competition. If there's any chance that he can be in the lineup, he's going to be. There was no way he would let half of the season go by before he debuted.

In his first game, he went 0-4, which is to be expected. It's tough getting your rhythm and timing back in the box. He did have a multi-hit day in his second game back on Wednesday.

While fans are excited to see Bryce Harper return, they're concerned that he may have rushed himself back. If he reinjures himself and is out for the season, the Philadelphia Phillies' World Series hopes are likely over.

While fans think it's too early, Harper understands his limitations. He won't be aggressively sliding into the bases. He knows how much he means to the team on the field.

With Bryce Harper, the Philadelphia Phillies are scary

The Phillies have a batting lineup with Bryce Harper that makes opposing pitchers cringe. They can't throw a mistaken pitch against a Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Harper, and Nick Castellanos lineup.

Not only does the top of the lineup have insane power at the plate, but they also have elite speed on the bases with Turner. Not many players are faster than the All-Star shortstop. You also can't forget about All-Star catcher JT Realmuto, the fastest catcher in the game.

With Harper back in the lineup, the Phillies should be able to get the ball rolling. They're 15-16 heading into Wednesday, 5.5 games behind the red-hot Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Don't be surprised if this team starts building some momentum here soon. They have a lineup to score runs in bunches and keep the pressure up. Their pitching staff can also go deep into games and keep other teams' bats quiet.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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