Phillies news and rumors 10/13: Bryce Harper’s elbow O.K. after NLDS clincher

In an otherwise jubilant South Philadelphia night at Citizens Bank Park, the home crowd had a pretty big scare in the top of the eighth inning of Thursday’s National League Division Series Game 4 against the Atlanta Braves.

Shortly before the Phillies clinched the series, superstar Bryce Harper — in his first season as a first baseman — appeared to be in pain after Matt Olson collided with his surgically repaired right elbow. But as the team celebrated its 3-1 victory, knocking off the NL East-winning Braves — the best regular-season club in Major League Baseball this time around — in four games for the second year in a row, Harper signaled that he would be fine. He just banged his funny bone, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.

"I'm good," Bryce Harper said. "Just hit my funny bone. I'm good."

— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) October 13, 2023

After tearing his UCL in 2022, Harper underwent Tommy John surgery last offseason and returned back to action in a remarkably quick timeframe. He was activated as the designated hitter in May before starting to play first base in July to allow Kyle Schwarber — struggling defensively in left field — to slide into the DH spot.

Still a beginner, Harper misread a Matt Olson grounder to second base on Thursday and was late to get back to the first-base bag. This helped cause a collision as Olson’s leg made contact with Harper’s arm.

Harper and Olson collide and the arm he got surgery on last offseason appears to be injured again pic.twitter.com/awW2HKGNCJ

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 13, 2023

Harper was certainly in pain, but avoided any actual injury. He was back on the field in the ninth as the Phillies closed out the game and the series, setting up an NL Championship Series matchup with Arizona. Harper and the Phillies will host the Diamondbacks in Game 1 on Monday night.

Must-read (or watch) Phillies content

• Here’s our own Bailey Digh’s recap of the thrilling Game 4 win.
• Destiny Lugardo has all the best moments from the Phillies’ clubhouse celebration.
• Tim Kelly on some incredible Nick Castellanos NLDS stats.
• Take in Johan Rojas’ game-saving catch one more time:

the silence – the explosion
rojas catch with no commentators and just crowd noise pic.twitter.com/vM43M1dDwl

— jaiden (@steph_turkey) October 13, 2023

• And, oh yeah. Play the song:

And the song plays again pic.twitter.com/xM7swpir9w

— Alex Coffey (@byalexcoffey) October 13, 2023

• Castellanos hit more home runs in the NLDS than the entire Atlanta Braves offense. That’s crazy. Here’s Matt Gelb of The Athletic’s story on Castellanos and his moment.
• Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tells the touching story of a woman who honored her late friend, a fellow teacher and Phillies fan, by holding up a photo of her friend as Bryce Harper hit a massive home run in Game 3.
• Also from the Inquirer, Matt Breen on Johan Rojas’ incredible play 43 years to the day the Phillies’ Garry Maddox made a leaping grab in center field to clinch the NL pennant and John Middleton’s comments regarding comparisons between the two.

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