MLB notebook: Harper’s Opening-Day status in doubt following elbow surgery

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper powered his way through a postseason with crucial homers and big base hits that carried the Philadelphia Phillies from the last NL wild-card spot all the way to the World Series.

How much better might Harper have been without a torn ligament in his elbow?

Harper at last will have surgery next week to address the tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow that forced the outfielder to spend the bulk of this season as designated hitter.

The Phillies knew knee surgery was on the table once Harper suffered the small tear in April, and their surprising postseason run only delayed the inevitable. It was a tradeoff the NL champion Phillies would take, of course, but the possibility looms large that Harper might not be ready for Opening Day on March 30 at Texas.

Phillies President Dave Dombrowski said Wednesday there was no timetable on Harper’s recovery until after the surgery, which is scheduled for Nov. 23.

“We have no prognosis, really, until he goes into the elbow and takes a look at it,” Dombrowski said of the surgeon. “We’ll have something at that time with the surgery and the anticipation something will happen. I would think it will slow him down for the season. We’ll know more next week.”

There are options: Harper could need Tommy John surgery (where a healthy tendon is used to replace a torn ligament) or he could face an easier repair of the existing ulnar collateral ligament. That won’t be known until he goes under the knife.

While pitchers can miss up to 18 months or worse with Tommy John surgery, hitters can make a more rapid return because they don’t have to throw. Still, recovery is needed and surgery could knock out Harper at least until the halfway point of the season. If it’s a repair, Harper might not miss much more than the first weeks of next season.

Harper last played right field at Miami on April 16. He had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his elbow in May and shifted to the designated hitter role. Harper met Monday with prominent orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who determined the tear did not heal on its own, necessitating surgery.

ANGELS: All-Star left-hander Tyler Anderson is moving across Los Angeles, finalizing a $39 million, three-year contract with the Angels.

The 32-year-old is coming off the best season of his major league career with the Dodgers, going 15-5 with a 2.57 ERA with a pitch selection including one of the majors’ best change-ups.

After starting the year with two relief appearances, Anderson moved into the Dodgers’ rotation and ultimately made 28 starts, setting career bests in innings pitched, ERA and victories. He was 10-1 at the All-Star break and was selected for the Midsummer Classic for the first time, although he didn’t get to play in the game at Dodger Stadium.

MARINERS-BLUE JAYS: The Seattle Mariners made one of the first big moves of the offseason by acquiring outfielder Teoscar Hernandez from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for two pitchers.

Fresh off the team’s first playoff appearance in more than two decades, the Mariners added a slugging right-handed bat to their lineup with the acquisition of Hernandez and addressed one of their offseason needs by finding a corner outfielder.

Hernandez hit .267 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI in 131 games last season for the Blue Jays and joined Mookie Betts as the only outfielders in baseball with at least 35 doubles and 25 homers. Hernandez was an All-Star starter in 2021 and finished that season hitting .296 with 32 homers and 116 RBI for Toronto.

He will immediately slot into the middle of Seattle’s batting order and could end up being a replacement in right field for Mitch Haniger, who is a free agent.

Right-handed reliever Erik Swanson and minor league lefty Adam Macko are going back to Toronto. The Blue Jays were looking to clear salary for 2023 and also needed bullpen help with swing-and-miss stuff, which Swanson is expected to provide.

FATHERS: Five days after opting out of his contract and becoming a free agent, Nick Martinez agreed to a three-year, $26 million contract that could be worth as much as $42 million.

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