Bryce Harper appeared to avert a significant injury scare last week, missing only five games after being hit on the right elbow by a 95 mph fastball from Spencer Strider.
However, there is now fear over Harper’s right wrist.
After returning to play all three games in Toronto earlier this week, Harper was not in the lineup for Friday night’s series opening against the Pirates at PNC Park, but it was not due to the elbow injury that had previously sidelined him.
“It’s his right wrist, which is a little sore,” manager Rob Thomson explained. “It has been hurting for a time. “He has been fighting through it.”
Thomson reaffirmed that Harper had been dealing with this issue before to the May 27 hit-by-pitch, saying it is currently a day-to-day scenario. According to Thomson, Harper had been “grinding,” but before Friday’s game, the two-time MVP notified the team’s training staff that his wrist was hurting him a little more than usual.
Harper was 0-for-8 with five strikeouts over the following two games after hitting a home run in his comeback to the starting lineup on Tuesday. For the second time this season, he struck out swinging three times on Thursday.
According to Thomson, “He’s just having trouble swinging,” “So, if it’s affecting his swing, then we’re going to hold him off and get it right.”
Thomson claimed that he was unsure of the precise play in which Harper first injured his wrist.
It’s also uncertain whether the wrist flare-up was caused by compensating for the elbow injury. Prior to the game, Harper was not available for comment.
It’s important to remember that Harper has already fought through wrist problems. Late in August of last year, he began wearing a protective black sleeve on his right arm, recognizing that he was experiencing elbow and wrist pain.
At the time, Harper reported that he had been experiencing wrist pain since May. Although he was unable to pinpoint the specific moment or method of his wrist pain, he said that it had gotten worse throughout the course of the season.
“[It] just generally got worse,” Harper stated last year. “I’ve been working diligently on that.”
To prevent a repeat of that scenario this season, the Phillies are hoping to catch it early this time.