Phillies Nuggets: Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins out of the lineup Saturday

Despite coming off the bench with a game-tying double in Friday evening’s win over the Washington Nationals, Bryce Harper isn’t in the lineup Saturday for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Interim manager Rob Thomson told the media at Nationals Park that Harper has an infection in a blister on the padding just below his left index finger. While Harper had felt it a little bit yesterday, it had nothing to do with him not starting Game 2. But overnight, Thomson says that “it kind of blew up on him”

Harper is on antibiotics and was getting treatment on the infection early Saturday afternoon. As far as whether he could come off the bench and pinch hit if the Phillies need him late in Saturday’s game?

“You never know, we’ll see how it progresses during the day,” Thomson said. “He won’t start.”

The Nuggets

• Rhys Hoskins is also out of the lineup Saturday, but it was a planned day off after he played first base in both games of Friday’s doubleheader.
• Harper is putting up staggering production in the month of June, and most months for that matter. In 52 at-bats this month, Harper is slashing .404/.492/.750 with five home runs, 16 RBIs and a 1.242 OPS.
• There isn’t much of an update on when Harper could begin throwing again and progress towards returning to playing right field. Thomson said that “we’re still a couple of weeks away.” The reigning National League MVP received a PRP injection in his right elbow on May 15 as he looks to avoid surgery to repair a tear in his right UCL.
• While Thomson admitted he hadn’t given much thought to it, he said that in addition to Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler, Kyle Schwarber and Aaron Nola are deserving of All-Star consideration in his mind.
• Of third base coach Dusty Wathan — a hero in Friday evening’s victory — Thomson said: “I hope that when managerial jobs come up, he’s on the tip of every general manager’s tongue. I really do, because he’s that type of baseball man.”
• The Phillies announced Saturday that they’ve traded reliever James Norwood to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. The Phillies had designated Norwood — who had an 8.31 ERA in 20 games — for assignment earlier this week.
• Prior to Saturday’s game, the Nationals are retiring Ryan Zimmerman‘s No. 11. Zimmerman homered 27 times and drove in 115 runs against the Phillies in his excellent career.

Phillies Lineup

1. Kyle Schwarber, Left Field
2. Didi Gregorius, Shortstop
3. Nick Castellanos, DH
4. J.T. Realmuto, Catcher
5. Odúbel Herrera, Center Field
6. Alec Bohm, First Base
7. Bryson Stott, Second Base
8. Matt Vierling, Right Field
9. Yairo Muñoz, Third Base

Aaron Nola, Pitcher

Nationals Lineup

1. César Hernández, Second Base
2. Juan Soto, Right Field
3. Nelson Cruz, DH
4. Josh Bell, First Base
5. Yadiel Hernández, Left Field
6. Keibert Ruiz, Catcher
7. Maikel Franco, Third Base
8. Luis García, Shortstop
9. Victor Robles, Center Field

Josiah Gray, Pitcher

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