Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper exited the game against the Atlanta Braves after being hit on the elbow by a 95-mph fastball from Spencer Strider. X-rays came back negative, and he was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion, listed as day-to-day.
Harper was absent for the third consecutive game on Friday as the Phillies began a home series against the Milwaukee Brewers. He gave a brief update on his status, though his return timeline remains uncertain.
“Still really sore,” Harper told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I’ve been getting treatment, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to play again. It hit me in a bad spot. The swelling has gone down, which is a good sign, but it’s still a tough area. Just trying to be cautious.”
Both Harper and Phillies manager Rob Thomson said they don’t believe a trip to the injured list will be necessary. He remains day-to-day and took grounders before Friday’s game but hasn’t resumed swinging a bat.
“We’ll see when he can come back,” Thomson said via the Associated Press. “We need the swelling to go down and for him to be pain-free, or at least close to it.”
Through 54 games this season, Harper is batting .267 with a .375 on-base percentage, a .450 slugging percentage, eight home runs, and 33 RBIs. The Phillies currently lead the NL East with a 36-21 record.