Slumping Harper is given a rare respite
A day after his plan for the Phillies to win nine out of 10 games was proven successful, Bryce Harper would not be in the lineup to keep the roll going.
Recognizing that Harper had gone 2-for-his-last-23 and hadn’t hit a home run since Aug. 22, Joe Girardi went with Phil Gosselin in right field for the opener of a four-game series against the Mets in New York. Jay Bruce was the designated hitter.
“I just feel that he needs a day off,” Girardi said. “It’s not something that he asked for and probably is not even happy with, but I just felt that he could use the day. He’s been grinding. He pushes. He plays hard, and he gets his day today.”
Girardi has been saying for a week that he would give all of his players a rest, and he sat sizzling Rhys Hoskins against Max Scherzer Wednesday. Harper had played in all of the first 33 games.
“We talked about giving him off (Thursday),” Girardi said. “I changed my mind. And he still helped us win that game. That’s the hardest part, the other things he does. He had a defensive play. He had a walk in the first inning and scored a run.”
Harper, who was used as a designated hitter in two of the previous four games, was hitting .276 with five home runs.
“I just think he’s a little off offensively,” Girardi said. “It happens to all hitters. It’s a little bit disconnected. And we have to get him back.”
Girardi said Harper will be back in the lineup Saturday.
“He’s run into some pretty good pitchers lately,” Girardi said. “(Max) Fried, Scherzer, (Patrick) Corbin. I thought Corbin had him a little off, but he has a lot of left-handed hitters off. The bottom line is he is just that good. He needs a day. I’ll him to take it easy.”
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With doubleheaders scheduled for Tuesday and Friday, Girardi needed a sixth starter. That’s why Vince Velasquez was sent to Allentown Thursday for some conditioning.
“We were able to stretch him out,” Girardi said. “He’ll be ready for 90 pitches.”
Velasquez has a 6.60 ERA in five appearances, none particularly sparkling.
“I went to Lehigh to try to work on some things, and the results were pretty good,” he said. “Right now, it’s pretty much crunch time for everybody to dial it in. I was able to get some reps in. That was a good decision.”
Though he has lost his spot in the regular rotation to Spencer Howard, the odd nature of the virus-shortened season will provide Velasquez with another way to win back his starting job.
“I have had a lot of opportunities to start,” he said. “Do I want to start? Of course. But it is just a matter of acceptance. I am just going with the flow. The only thing I can do is pitch. So whatever opportunities I have, I have to take advantage of.”
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With Girardi having acknowledged concern about his diminishing velocity, Howard will start Saturday night at 7:10.
“Sometimes it looks like he gets a little bit out of whack,” the manager said. “It’s almost like he’s trying to produce velocity, and he doesn’t produce it when he does that. So to me, it’s just mechanically staying sound for him.”
Howard is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA. Right-hander Seth Lugo (1-2, 2.12) will start for the Mets.
Sunday at 1:10, it will be Aaron Nola (4-2, 2.45) and right-hander Jacob deGrom (2-1, 1.76). Zack Wheeler (40, 2.20) will start Monday afternoon at 1:10.
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No matter how well Alex Bohm hits, and he came into play Friday with seven hits in his last four games, he is unlikely to move up in the order. The rookie third baseman batted seventh Friday.
“A lot of times when you have a young kid, you don’t move him for a while,” Girardi said. “You just let them get comfortable. A week ago, he was struggling a little bit. Now he’s back on track.
“It’s something you can play with all the time. The bottom line is everybody needs to hit. They have to hit somewhere. You want them to be productive. The difference between hitting seventh, sixth, fifth might be five at-bats at the most in a 60-game schedule. It’s just the way our lineup divides up the best.”
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Girardi continues to believe Adam Morgan, on the 10-day injured list with shoulder fatigue, will be ready to return on schedule Sept. 10.