By: Jayden Dudek
Bryce Harper had an injury on his left thumb when San Diego Padres’ Blake Snell threw an inside slider at 97mph on June 26, 2022.
Bryce Harper is an American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). As a free agent during the 2018–19 offseason, he signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies. He won his second NL MVP award in 2021 with the Phillies.
As soon as his left thumb got hit, he fell to the ground with excruciating pain. He tried to pull back. Phillies General Manager Dave Dombrowski, who was traveling with the team, said it was unclear whether he would need surgery or not.
Harper says he knows it was an accident. This is the first time Harper had an injury like this and he is going to see the specialist in Philly.
Snell contacted Harper after the game and felt terrible causing the injury. He said Harper “plays with a lot of passion, and I can understand why he’d be upset. I’m just as upset as he is. ... I just hope he recovers quickly and gets back out there and continues to compete.”
Harper hoped the special treatment and some rest would let him continue to play while avoiding Tommy John's surgery.
Links to the articles:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Harper
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/06/26/bryce-harper-broken-thumb/