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Phils' Harper vows to play this year, but no date for return

Bryce Harper has three pins in his left thumb, a cast on his left hand and an unyielding belief that he will return from injury this season to try and lead the Phillies to their first playoff appearance in 11 years. With those three words, Harper injected genuine expectations in the franchise and the fan base that the reigning NL MVP will play again at some point this season — and with a hope the Phillies are still in the wild-card hunt when he returns. Harper declined to put a timetable on when he could he return to the lineup as the feared designated hitter in the middle of the order that led the team on a summer surge and put Philadelphia in the thick of a real pennant race.