The Philadelphia Phillies are hosting the New York Mets for a pivotal series at Citizens Bank Park this weekend.
They got off to a good start, taking Game 1 by a 10-2 score. Now winners of nine of their last 11, they’ll look to continue their winning ways on the field with another series win against their NL East rival. But we're not here for on-field updates.
Off the field, there are some updates fans should know about, including the latest details about progress from a pair of Phillies currently on the injured list. With Bryce Harper and Aaron Nola out of commission right now, the Phils are missing a couple of key cogs in the lineup and the rotation.
Luckily, after a tough start to the month, the Phillies have turned things around, even without the two veterans. When can we expect to see them back? Here's the latest on the injury front, plus a look at the Phillies' plans for a new platoon in left field (this is where you roll your eyes).
Phillies News: Bryce Harper making progress with wrist injury
Whether they're winning or losing, there's no doubt that the Phillies miss Harper on the field and in the lineup. The star first baseman has been on the 10-day IL with wrist inflammation since June 6. The Phillies are 8-5 since Harper hit the shelf with the wrist injury, which has been an ongoing problem for him. It's the same issue he dealt with last season.
Harper didn't travel with the team to Miami, instead staying back in Philly to rehab, and we got a good progress update before the series finale against the Marlins. According to Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Harper finally threw and took dry swings on Thursday.
On Friday, we got another update from CBP. Harper threw on the field, at a longer distance, and took 20 swings off a tee, according to MLB.com's Paul Casella. Unfortunately, we still don't know how far away Harper is from returning. He said he'd have to wait to see how his wrist feels on Saturday after swinging a bat for the first time since hitting the IL.
Bryce Harper took 20 swings off a tee today. Also played catch on the field. Still no timetable, but feeling better.
— Paul Casella (@Paul_CasellaMLB) June 20, 2025
Close to a return?
"I don't know. This is the first day swinging a bat, so I've just got to see how it feels tomorrow."
Aaron Nola still unsure of his timeline for returning from IL
Nola was transferred to the 60-day IL on Thursday. While the move doesn't sound like a good one, it's purely on paper, as it won't change his timeline. The right-hander has been on the injured list since May 15 with a right ankle sprain. The stay was extended when it was discovered he also has a rib stress fracture.
Nola provided an update on his progress on Thursday before the Phillies' 2-1 win against the Miami Marlins. Things sound positive, at least.
“[I’m] trying to not overdo anything and irritate something [by throwing],” Nola said, per MLB.com's Justin Morris. “But … working out feels good, running feels good.”
Nola won't be returning until after the All-Star break. He recently revealed it would be at least another two months before he's back. He's not eligible to come off the IL until July 14, but it sounds like it'll be more like mid-August based on his timeline.
Although, this week he brought a little less clarity, saying he's "not sure" what his long-term timeline is to return. Okay, then.
Before landing on the IL, Nola had struggled to a 1-7 record with a 6.16 ERA in nine starts, most of the disastrous variety. Hopefully this extended time off will help him come back ready to help the team down the stretch and into the postseason.
The Phillies have a problem in left field … still
If it always feels like the Phillies have no idea what they're doing in left field, it's probably because they don't. Max Kepler was brought in to hopefully play every day, but that hasn't worked out. He wound up in a platoon and his most recent partner, Weston Wilson, was optioned to Triple-A on Thursday.
Wilson heading to Lehigh Valley to reset his season isn't a bad thing. He was downright brutal in his limited playing time, slashing .194/.310/.278 in 42 plate appearances. In his place, the Phillies were forced to bring back infielder Buddy Kennedy to the big leagues.
That leaves — checks notes — Otto Kemp as the new option for a right-handed bat to play left field when Kepler sits. On Thursday, manager Rob Thomson said that Kemp will get "some runway in left field," per March. Kemp has hit since getting his call to the majors, but has played just seven games in left field in Triple-A.
“He’s really athletic, and he runs better than people think,” Thomson said about Kemp (subscription required), per The Athletic's Charlotte Varnes. “He’s a baseball player. He just is. He goes out and he plays and plays hard every day. I don’t think much really bothers him.”
That's all well and good, and we've got nothing against Kemp, but the Phillies really need to figure out this left field situation.
Over the last few years they've mixed and matched names like Wilson, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Whit Merrifield, Jake Cave, David Dahl and Austin Hays, with cameos from Cristian Pache, Dalton Guthrie, and Josh Harrison. You get the idea — it's been a mess.
If you didn't roll your eyes earlier, here's your chance.