Bone bruise won’t end Harper’s year

WASHINGTON — When Bryce Harper writhed in pain on the field and clutched at his left knee and then didn’t put weight on his left leg as he was helped off, the possibility of a careeraltering injury seemed realistic. Harper was definitely worried. “Of course you’re going to think the worst,” he said. “It’s definitely a bad feeling.”

That bad feeling subsided as Harper walked up the stairs from the dugout to the clubhouse, tested his knee by jumping and then got the MRI results that revealed what the Nationals hope is season-saving news. General manager Mike Rizzo said Harper has a “significant” bone bruise in his left knee but avoided the kind of ligament or tendon damage that would have put a pin in the team’s World Series aspirations.

There’s no definitive timeline for Harper to return, but manager Dusty Baker referenced 10 days to two weeks. At the very least the Nationals are hopeful the star outfielder and NL MVP candidate will be back before the end of the season.

“It was definitely a relief,” Harper said Sunday. “We’re going to take some time to let it heal. I want to be at 100 percent whenever I play. The World Series is definitely on my mind, playoffs, things like that.”

Rizzo said the Nationals feel they “dodged a bullet” when Harper hyperextended his knee slipping on a wet base in the first inning of a rain-delayed game against the Giants on Saturday night.

“He will be back before the end of the season,” Baker said. “We expect him to be back for the stretch drive and be healthy. That’s what we want.”

The Nationals and Giants played a day/night doubleheader Sunday and the Giants won the first game 4-2.