Designated prognosis for Harper now a lot lengthier
PHILADELPHIA » Regarding Bryce Harper’s missing bat in the lineup for a third straight game Wednesday, Phillies manager Joe Girardi said he’s “hopeful for tomorrow.”
As for Harper being listed as MIA in right field, where he last played on April 16, Girardi’s hope for a Harper return extended a lot longer.
Girardi broke the news before Wednesday night’s game against the Padres that Harper’s doctor had “recommended six weeks with no throwing, just to give the blood that he put in there even more time to work.”
Harper, suffering from what recently was diagnosed as a “small tear” in the ulnar collateral ligament of his throwing arm, was given a PRP (plateletrich plasma) injection in his right elbow. Girardi said the treatment had “no guarantee” of working, but even if it does mend the area, Harper stands to endure at least a few more weeks of building the arm up sufficiently to throw in a game.
Thus, Girardi said Harper wouldn’t be able to return to the outfield until late July at the earliest and probably not until sometime in August.
Harper was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
“He hasn’t really let on (how he feels),” Girardi said of Harper. “I think he got some real clarification and I think it kind of put him at peace, actually. Knowing that he has to wait — there isn’t much he can do for six weeks, anyway — he’ll just focus on hitting.”
Asked if there was a chance Harper wouldn’t be able to throw for the remainder of the season, Girardi added, “Our hope is that’s not the case. Our hope is that the procedure we did helps it scar over and he’s fine. It’s worked before but there’s no 100 percent guarantee.”
All that said, Girardi knows he faces problems utilizing his outfielders now. Harper, presuming his elbow continues to allow him to not only bat but hit at a torrid pace (.305, 9 HR, 27 RBIs, .994 OPS), can now be scratched from field duty for the long term. That means both veteran signees Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber are going to log more outfield time than originally planned. Schwarber was looked upon as a likely designated hitter, as he was Wednesday night with Harper out. But Schwarber also entered the game hitting all of .186, though with nine homers and 21 RBIs.
“We know we have to get him going,” Girardi said of Schwarber. “We had him going for a while and he’s kind of hit a skid. … He’s just too far out in front. He’ll get it right.
“He’s frustrated. He knows he’s capable of performing at a much higher level.”
Odubel Herrera, probably more comfortable in center, played left Wednesday night. That’s because promotee Roman Quinn’s speed a real asset in center … but he entered the game hitting all of .136.
With Harper acting solely as a DH, the option of optioning Quinn back to the minors to get straightened out is a bit more complicated.
“We’re a little limited,” Girardi said. “Without Harp it gives us less flexibility. … I mean, we miss Harp, there’s no doubt about it. We need him back.” • • •
NOTES » The National League added the DH this season, which is the only reason Harper has been playing at all. In fact, Girardi said had the DH not been available to him, “we probably would have IL’d” Harper. “Maybe we would have carried him as just a pinch-hitter, I don’t know,” Girardi added. “It would have been tough.” … Another sliding player at the plate of late is catcher J.T. Realmuto, whose average had dipped to .237 by Wednesday, and even more concerning he had but two home runs and seven RBIs. “J.T. started to struggle a little bit with some of the new stuff he was doing,” said Girardi, indicating Realmuto was trying to modify his high leg kick at the top of his swing. “He kind of went back to his old way and I think it created more struggles.” … One possible answer to help in the outfield would be Mickey Moniak, who will play some extended spring training on Thursday as he continues to rehab a broken hand.