Bryce Harper is expected to need surgery to repair a broken left thumb, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Harper hopes to play again this season at some point, but his return could reportedly come at the end of August at the earliest.
The severity of the fracture will determine what kind of surgery Harper will need and how long he’ll be out for. Non-displaced or minimally displaced fractures, according David Hay, a hand specialist Lauber spoke with for his story, could be repaired without surgery. A more severe fracture or a fracture within the two joints of the thumb would require surgery and “the recovery would be longer and more complicated.