Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper could return to the Philadelphia lineup as soon as this upcoming week after missing time because of inflammation in his right wrist. Harper, who has started to face live pitching, has not appeared in a game since June 5 but told reporters that he feels much better than he expected.

Although the discomfort in Harper's wrist hasn’t completely subsided, he said he’s “way farther ahead [in his recovery] than I felt like I would be.”

Harper took live batting practice Saturday but reported stiffness in his injured right wrist on Sunday. He’s been on the injured list since June 6 with right wrist inflammation, missing the last 21 games. The Phillies have gone 13-8 during that span.