Phils’ Bryce Harper tests strained arm, says it’s still ‘achy.’ He’ll remain a DH for now.
While he didn’t see Tuesday as a setback, he acknowledged that the results were discouraging. He is eager to return to the field.
Bryce Harper hasn’t started a game in right field since April 16, and it’s unclear when he’ll make another start there. Harper, who has a right arm strain, tested it Tuesday afternoon by playing catch in the outfield before the Phillies game against the Rockies. It was his first time playing catch in about a week, but he said that his arm felt “achy.”
“It didn’t feel great,” he said on Tuesday after the game. “We’ll come in tomorrow, see what it feels like, and then re-evaluate.”
Harper said his arm didn’t feel worse than it has in the past few days, and believes it has somewhat improved, but not to the point where he can go out and play right field. While he didn’t see Tuesday as a setback, he acknowledged that the results were discouraging, since he’s eager to return to the field.
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“I want to get back out there and play,” he said. “But strains take a minute to get healthy.”
Harper, who got an MRI last week, doesn’t feel he needs any further imaging done at the moment. It’s the first time in his career that he’s dealt with an arm strain, so he’s unsure of how long it will take to fully recover. In the meantime, he will continue serve as a designated hitter, which is where he has done since April 17.
“It’s not getting to where I want it to be,” he said. “I don’t think there’s really a timetable right now for when I’m going to play [in the field]. So I’m just trying to get my at-bats, and have good at-bats.”