Two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper didn’t appear in the Philadelphia Phillies first win of the season, but said after Sunday’s game that he expects to return to the lineup Monday evening when the Cincinnati Reds come to Citizens Bank Park to open a three-game series.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson told the media Sunday morning that Harper was scheduled to be out of the lineup for the series finale against the Atlanta Braves even before a seemingly violent fall into the camera well in Saturday’s loss. Harper confirmed that Sunday afternoon.
“I feel fine,” Harper said after the win. “I think Topper told you guys I had a scheduled day off. I think going into Spring Training, obviously didn’t get the reps that I needed, playing nine [innings] the first two days.
“What happened yesterday, I don’t think really had any merit on today,” Harper continued. “So, definitely looking forward to getting back in there tomorrow.”
It should be noted that Harper did not play all nine innings Saturday, as Edmundo Sosa came in to play third base and Alec Bohm shifted to first base in the top of the eighth inning, with the Braves leading 11-4. That seemingly had more to down with the game being out of hand and Thomson wanting to get Harper off his feet, than his fall into the camera well, which took place in the top of the first inning.
Harper having a scheduled day off on the third day of the season is a bit strange on the surface, but he did miss time late in Spring Training as dealt with some lower back stiffness. That limited his ability to build up to handle the workload of an MLB season. The Braves also had a tough lefty on the mound in Chris Sale, and with only two off days in the first month of the season for the Phillies, there would be worse days to give Harper rest than Sunday.
Whether or not you agree with that logic, it did appear to be genuine when explained by Thomson pregame. At the time, Thomson was non-committal on whether Harper would be available to pinch hit Sunday afternoon. Ultimately, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh were the two left-handed bats who came off the bench. Thomson said postgame that Harper didn’t end up being available, saying the seven-time All-Star was “a little sore.”
Harper — who rarely ever gives specifics when asked how he’s feeling physically — was short on details when asked postgame about if he was dealing with any lingering effects from the tumble, be it the scrape on his left index finger or elsewhere.
“I feel good,” Harper said.
Was there a part of him worried that he wouldn’t feel so good when he initially went crashing into the camera well?
“No,” Harper said succinctly.
So, by all accounts, Harper will be back in the lineup Monday when the Phillies face off with the Reds, a team flush with young talent that took of three games from the Washington Nationals to start their season.
There is something to be said for the 31-year-old playing with a little less reckless abandon, particularly in the field. On March 30, there’s no catch that’s worth Harper going into the camera well for. But Harper started playing first base last July, and this is already the second time this has happened. In his first career start at the position in Cleveland last year, Harper dove into the camera well to make a catch.
Surely, there has to be a way to balance playing at 110% with making sure you don’t miss significant time over trying to make one play.
But when asked post game if he could benefit from maybe easing up in his aggressiveness in similar situations, Harper didn’t seem to indicate that this has been a turning point for him on his approach.
“I knew the railing was there, it just kind of happened,” Harper said.
The Phillies will cross their fingers that Harper doesn’t get sidelined for an extended period of time trying to make one of these plays some day. He’s too valuable to lose out of their lineup for just one out, but there seems to be belief that this is just who he is, and it’s part of what makes him great.
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