Sigh of relief as Harper returns to lineup
Bryce Harper was back in the Phillies lineup Monday night.
It didn’t make a difference in an uninspired 5-1 Phillies loss to the Nationals, the start of a fourgame set with a doubleheader Tuesday. But after Harper left Sunday’s game with lower back stiffness, there was plenty of cause for concern. Most of it was allayed by Harper’s name being penciled in as the designated hitter in the No. 2 spot in the order.
It didn’t amount to instant results, Harper taking the collar in four at-bats with three strikeouts. But Harper gave Joe Girardi the go-ahead to put him in the lineup, indicated the stiffness may not be a long-term concern.
“Definitely a little sore but I’ll be out there tomorrow,” Harper said. “We have a couple more games left, but I’ve got to be out there, got to be playing.”
Harper said he doesn’t feel it much during his swing, though he feels it slightly during a check swing or a take where his back absorbs the torque of his swing. He said it’s more likely to bother him in the field, where he’s standing and it stiffens and he has to accelerate quickly. Harper didn’t point to any one moment as causing it, but that he woke up one day feeling off and would feel it on and off.
The plan for Tuesday’s doubleheader with the Nats is to have Harper DH one of the games and
possibly play the outfield in another, Girardi deeming him “day to day” on outfield starts. Harper’s enthusiasm and relative youth — as compared to Andrew McCutchen and Jay Bruce — means he hasn’t DHed much. Part of that is down to Harper’s zeal for playing the field.
“He’s used to playing every day and I think he loves playing in the outfield every day,” Girardi said. “I think moving forward, if the DH is around next year, maybe you do it a little more.”
Harper struck out twice against Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez, including an at-bat in the fifth when Sanchez balked home Mickey Moniak for the Phillies’ only run. The strikeout, with Adam Haseley as the potential tying run on second, was Sanchez’s last batter. Harper also struck out on a check swing against Will Harris, one of 13 Phillies Ks in a game where five Nationals required 171 pitches to get 27 outs.
The Harper question directly relates to the Phillies’ other injury conundrum, J.T. Realmuto. Girardi decided not to play him Monday, saying the catcher nine days removed from a hip issue could’ve maybe been used as a pinch hitter.
Realmuto’s return to the lineup will come as a DH, in the game of the double dip that Harper doesn’t DH. Thus, Harper’s ability to play the field is the obstacle to the team’s top two hitters being in the lineup together.
“I think that you have to listen to the player, listen to the trainers and then make a decision,” Girardi said. “It’s tough this time of the year to do it, but maybe you have to give them an extra day here, an extra day there so you don’t tax them to where they reinjure it. We felt yesterday, he was at 8085 percent. Maybe another day will get him to 90 percent.”
Girardi isn’t concerned with Realmuto physically behind the dish; the biggest worry with his hip is in momentary bursts, such as on the basepaths or out of the batter’s box.
The progress is beneficial as Rhys Hoskins continues to work back. He’s not yet swinging a bat but Girardi was happy with his work on a day in the gym working with resistance bands.
“He had a good day,” Girardi said. “Take another step forward, I’ll see what he can do tomorrow.”
Harper isn’t going to use those reasons, for him or his team, as excuses.
“We’re a team that has to go out there and play games no matter what,” Harper said. “We have however many games left to win. We have to win to get into the first round and keep going. There’s no time to complain, no time to say, oh I don’t feel good, poor me. I don’t like that mentality anyway.
“We have to get out there and keep going and keep playing our game. There’s teams right on us and creeping up on us fast.”