The Philadelphia Phillies have surged to the best record in baseball, but their most recent win came with a significant loss.
In the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the division rival Atlanta Braves, franchise slugger Bryce Harper was struck in his surgically-repaired elbow by a pitch from Spencer Strider. Harper immediately left the game and the Phillies held their collective breath.
Fortunately, an initial X-ray of the elbow showed that Harper had avoided any significant damage. He was diagnosed with a contusion and the Phillies’ next game against the Braves, scheduled for Wednesday, was rained out.
As the team prepared for the first game of a double-header against the Braves on Thursday, the lineup it released revealed that Harper wouldn’t be playing. But manager Rob Thomson shared an injury update on Harper, saying he is “doing better.”
“He is making progress,” added Ty Daubert of Phillies Nation. “Maybe could go Game 2.”
Whether or not Harper makes a return for the second game of the day, the fact that he is a possibility should be enough to quell fears from the Phillies fan base. While any kind of setback for Harper is a concern, this one appears to be relatively minor.
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Harper is slashing .267/.375/.450 with eight homers and eight stolen bases so far in his 14th career season, his seventh with the Phillies. His year started with a notable slump, which was followed by a drastic haircut and an apparent resurgence at the plate. The team is hoping that the strike on the elbow won’t do anything to disrupt the momentum he was building on offense.
After the double-header with the Braves, the Phillies are scheduled to face the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park on Friday.
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