The play, which was in the top of the first inning on Tuesday night to be exact, seemed pretty ordinary: Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a grounder to the right side of the infield, the ball bounced off the glove of Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper, who scooped it up and got the runner out.
Harper, who is scheduled to start in Tuesday’s All-Star game, spent a few minutes shaking his hand immediately after the game, a clear sign that the ball may have hit flesh. “My hand is fine,” manager Rob Thomson said after the game, dismissing the question.
or not.
The Phillies’ lineup for Wednesday night’s game against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park was announced with unusual delay because Harper was still in the batting cage working on his bruised and sore hand.
In the end, he didn’t start, and Alec Bohm moved from third base to first base, with Edmundo Sosa taking the position.
It was just one of three injury updates on Wednesday afternoon that were more of a short-term nuisance than a long-term concern.
All-Star right-hander Zack Wheeler left the mound after five innings Tuesday night because of tightness in his left hip and remains in doubt for his scheduled start on Sunday against the Athletics. Center fielder Johan Rojas, who was hit by a pitch on his hand, also did not play. Manager Thompson downplayed the severity of both injuries after the game.
It was explained that keeping Harper and Rojas in their seats was done purely as a precautionary measure.
“When you have a limb injury, it changes your swing a little bit, so that’s a concern. If this was a playoff game or something like that, (Rojas) would be able to play,” the manager said. “With Harp, we just want to make sure he can swing efficiently.”
Wheeler underwent an MRI on Wednesday that found no structural damage but he is still in pain. “We’re going to be very cautious with him,” Thompson said, a reversal of his stance from the night before when he said he “assumes” the 34-year-old will be OK.
When asked directly what the benefit would be to have Wheeler pitch on Sunday, given that his absence and the All-Star break would give him at least 10 days to recover, Thompson said simply that it would mean having one of the best pitchers in baseball on the mound.
But, he added, “We’re not going to risk anything, and it will happen on a really perfect day, the day before the day off, so we can get all our relief pitchers in the game and we don’t have to rest five days after the day off.”
Wheeler, along with the other All-Star starters scheduled for Sunday, had previously been announced as sitting out the game.
general Hospital
Right-hander Taijuan Walker threw bullpen pitches on Wednesday afternoon. “Looked good to me, split looked good,” Thompson said. “Not sure about velocity, but we’ll have him throw another bullpen pitch on Saturday or do a bullpen outing.”
Walker is on the disabled list with inflammation in his right index finger, which is believed to be the culprit behind his inability to throw the splitter effectively, and the manager predicted he will need multiple rehab appearances before returning.
On deck
The Dodgers’ series finale will see RHP Landon Knack (1-2, 2.86) start against RHP Aaron Nola (10-4, 4.38) at 6:05 p.m. Thursday.
