Bryce Harper was absent from the Phillies’ lineup for both games of the team’s split doubleheader Thursday vs. the Braves.
However, Rob Thomson was encouraged overall by Harper’s progress since he took a Spencer Strider fastball to the arm Tuesday night and exited the game with a right elbow contusion.
“He came in yesterday for treatment,” the Phillies’ manager said before Game 1. “He’s in there now, I believe. Still had swelling, still was in pain, but it was a lot better than we expected.”
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SIGN UP HERE After his team's 5-4 afternoon win, Thomson reiterated that Harper was “feeling better." He did note following a 9-3 nightcap loss that “there’s still some swelling in there and he’s still got some pain. We want to knock that out before we run him out there because he’s going to change his swing and it could lead to a lot of problems.”
Thomson moved Alec Bohm to first base for both legs of the doubleheader. Edmundo Sosa got two starts at third base.
Thomson was asked why the Phillies didn’t retaliate following Strider's first-inning HBP.
“Because it’s not on purpose,” he said. “Simple as that. If I think somebody’s throwing at one our hitters, I don’t know what I’d do. But if it’s a pitch that gets away from a pitcher, which I believe it was and I think everybody in our clubhouse thinks it was, that’s baseball. It happens.”
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As far as when Harper might be back, Thomson didn't have anything definitive to offer.
“He’s going to miss a few games, I would think,” he said. “Moving forward, I don’t know. We’ll check it out tomorrow. It’s not an IL or anything like that. Not at this point.”
When Harper does return, Thomson certainly wouldn’t mind seeing his right elbow protected at the plate with a guard.
“I think it’s a little uncomfortable for him,” he said. “I think he feels like it restricts him a little bit, but I hope he wears it.”