Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Friday that it will be at least another month before Harper (elbow) plays first base, Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

EDGE Analysis

Harper continues to throw on the side and will soon increase the distance of those workouts to 90 feet, but the Phillies won't rush the 30-year-old slugger into any kind of defensive duty after he returned far earlier than anticipated from Tommy John surgery. He's slashed .314/.386/.490 with two home runs through 13 games out of the DH spot since being activated May 2.

Harper went 1-for-4 with one run scored and one steal in Wednesday's loss to San Francisco.

EDGE Analysis

Harper and Nick Castellanos pulled off a double steal in the fourth inning. Harper stole a career-high 21 bases back in 2016. Despite the late start to 2023, Harper could push for 20 steals again, as he already has two in 13 games.

Harper was ejected from Sunday's game against the Rockies, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

Colorado reliever Jake Bird appeared to chirp toward the Philadelphia dugout after recording the final out of the seventh inning, and Harper was the first player onto the field as benches cleared, resulting in the ejections of both players. The veteran slugger went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts prior to the ejection.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, a walk and two total runs scored in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

Harper's strung together a trio of multi-hit efforts, and this was his second game in a row with multiple RBI. The 30-year-old is batting .361 with a 1.050 OPS, two homers, five RBI, 11 runs scored, a stolen base and three doubles across 41 plate appearances. The hot hitting should keep him right in the heart of the Phillies' order.

Harper went 2-for-4 with a two-run double, a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 6-3 win over the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

Harper put the Phillies on his back in the eighth inning. He knocked a two-run double to give them a lead, then stole third and scored when Elias Diaz's throw was errant. With four multi-hit efforts through eight games, there's little to reason to doubt Harper's bat since he returned from Tommy John surgery. The 30-year-old is slashing .344/.417/.500 with a home run, three RBI, nine runs scored and two doubles through 36 plate appearances, and his steal was his first of the season.

Harper went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to the Red Sox.

EDGE Analysis

Harper connected on his first long ball of the campaign in the fifth inning, swatting a 396-foot solo shot to left-center field. It hasn't taken long for the star slugger to get his feet under him after opening the season on the injured list following Tommy John surgery last November. Through four games since his return, Harper is slashing .375/.444/.525 with three runs, two walks and two extra-base hits.

Harper went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in Wednesday's 10-6 loss against the Dodgers.

EDGE Analysis

After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Tuesday in his first game back from Tommy John surgery, Harper seemed back to his old self Wednesday, reaching base safely five times with three hits, including a double, and two walks. Harper figures to see regular time at DH before eventually transitioning to first base. He slashed .286/.364/.514 with 18 home runs in 99 games last season with the Phillies.

Harper (elbow) went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his season debut Tuesday in a 13-1 loss to the Dodgers.

EDGE Analysis

While Harper made an incredibly fast recovery from Tommy John surgery, a season debut like this one shows it's best to temper expectations with the 30-year-old for now. Harper will be limited to designated hitter initially, and he's expected to play at first base once he's cleared to throw with his surgically repaired right elbow. Fantasy managers will want to have him active quickly -- this is a player who slashed .286/.364/.514 with 18 home runs, 65 RBI, 63 runs scored, 11 stolen bases and 28 doubles over 99 games in an injury-plagued 2022 campaign.

Harper was activated Tuesday from the 10-day injured list.

EDGE Analysis

As anticipated, Harper will make his 2023 debut as the Phillies' designated hitter Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, less than six months after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right (throwing) elbow. It's an incredibly swift return from that procedure and Harper might need regular days off out of the gate, but his return is worth celebrating and arrives as excellent news for fantasy managers who got him at a value this spring. The 30-year-old slugger has delivered a .940 OPS across his first four seasons with Philadelphia while averaging 36 home runs, 105 RBI, 17 stolen bases and 108 runs scored for every 162 games played.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson confirmed that Harper (elbow) will be activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thomson said that he wanted to give Harper off for Monday's series opener in Los Angeles because of a hectic schedule that included a doctor's appointment, but the two-time National League MVP will be ready to make his season debut 160 days after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The Phillies could give Harper a day off or two in his first couple weeks back in action since he didn't go on a minor-league rehab assignment and is returning from surgery sooner than anticipated, but he should otherwise be a mainstay in the lineup at designated hitter beginning with Tuesday's contest. Harper began working out at first base a few weeks ago and could eventually be an option at that position, but playing the outfield is most likely off the table for him in 2023.