Highly-paid Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper will not play Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres after receiving a shot in his right elbow, according to multiple reports.
The two-time National League MVP was given a platelet-rich plasma injection for a small tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. Harper was initially expected to serve as the designated hitter for the Phillies on Tuesday, but was instead held out of the lineup completely. Nick Castellanos filled in at DH instead.
Harper could miss more games and has a lingering soreness in the elbow. He previously missed Sunday’s road game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He told reporters before Tuesday’s game that he probably wouldn’t feel “an improvement for about seven to 10 days or so.”
When Harper does return, it’s likely that he will remain at DH. Of the 34 games he’s played this season, he’s only served in the outfield eight times.
The 29-year-old has dealt with the nagging elbow injury for much of the season and told reporters earlier this month that he missed playing in the field.
“I miss being out there with my team and playing on the field,” Harper told MLB.com earlier this month. “It’s been tough. I want to get back out there. I want to help this team on both sides of the ball.”
Harper entered Tuesday tied for the NL lead in doubles (14), home runs (nine) and first alone in slugging percentage (.634). He’s hitting for an average of .305 on the season and has a team-high 40 hits and 29 runs scored for the Phillies, which are in second place in the NL East.
–Field Level Media
