It is no secret that Bryce Harper is the heart and soul of the Philadelphia Phillies.
A cornerstone offensive bat, clubhouse leader, and even expert panderer to Philadelphia fans, if Harper disappeared from the Phillies’ lineup, it would feel like an extremely large void. Which is exactly why, in the seconds following Harper taking a high 92-mph sinker in Dunedin on Wednesday, the entire Phillies organization gasped.
Not Again
Harper was 0-for-2 so far in the day when he stepped up to the plate in the top of the sixth inning. The Phillies had just tied the game up at 2-2 against the Toronto Blue Jays. There were no outs, Trea Turner was at third base while Carson Taylor, pinch-running for Kyle Schwarber, stood in at first.
Richard Lovelady, a left-hander with five years of Major League experience, just entered the game to pitch for the Blue Jays. Lovejoy’s first pitch, a 91-mph sinker, was nowhere near the plate, resulting in a wild pitch moving Taylor to second. Several pitches later, with a 1-2 count against Harper, Taylor went back to the sinker, aiming for a low-and-away punch-out pitch. The second he released the pitch, he knew he messed up. In the coming second, Lovejoy’s body language would switch from a gametime demeanor to one of regret.
Instead of a pitch low and outside, all Harper could see was white leather cowhide hurtling for his head. In the 0.400 seconds of reaction time Harper had, he managed to get his arm up in the path of the pitch, letting his bicep take much of the blow that had unintentionally been thrown at Harper’s head.
Able to walk the pitch off, Harper was immediately pulled from the contest, checked, and sent home. With Dunedin being quite literally one town over from Clearwater, Harper drove to the game. After a quick check-up and a shower, he got in his car and went home for the night.
The Phillies went on to win the contest over the Blue Jays 9-6. After the contest, manager Rob Thomson called it a bruised right tricep for their former MVP. Dodging a bullet, Harper will likely miss no considerable time for the injury.
Plans for Harper
Spring Training, at its heart, is about preparing the team for the upcoming 162-game season. Players are focused on staying healthy and getting in midseason condition. Bryce, who has a history with unruly pitches coming at him, is just wanting to stay healthy.
While he will heal with likely no issue from the hit ball, it is also extremely likely that Bryce Harper and the Phillies are cautious in the coming days. He likely will not travel for many more away games in Spring Training, but the Phillies faithful who are hoping to see him at BayCare Ballpark shouldn’t expect anything to change after today.
Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
