The Phillies have their superstar back. Bryce Harper, tried to play through a sore wrist but the pain became too intense, causing him to be placed on the IL and miss 22 games. With the San Diego Padres in town, Harper feels good enough to return to the field at his usual first base position and his familiar third spot in the batting order.

On Friday, Harper hinted that he would be returning soon when he spoke with reporters:  “I’m very happy with where I am. I’m way farther ahead than I felt like I would be. Definitely way healthier than I was a couple weeks ago.”

After news that he was being activated broke on Monday, reporters again spoke with Harper, who didn’t sound quite as positive about the wrist even though the team activated him: “I didn’t think I was going to take any further steps forward. I felt that we were at a stand still with it over the past couple of days going from BP to live and stuff like that. I just thought today was the day.”

Harper acknowledged that it is something he is going to have to play through, which he did late last season. He reported this spring that he had pain in the wrist for about two months after the season. The injury apparently does not require surgery and there is also not any in season training or brace that he could wear to help keep the pain at a minimum.

In 57 games prior to going on the IL, Harper was batting .258/.368/.446 with nine home runs and 34 RBI.

Buddy Kennedy became the odd-man-out on the Phillies roster and was designated for assignment. Kennedy had his contract selected by the Phillies in favor of Weston Wilson when Kennedy exercised an option in his minor league deal that required the Phillies to add him to the major league roster.