Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper exited Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves after being struck by a 95-mph fastball from Spencer Strider in the first inning.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, X-rays came back negative, and Harper was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion. Strider appeared visibly concerned as the Phillies’ medical staff checked on Harper. After the game, Strider expressed relief that the injury wasn’t more serious.
“I’m definitely relieved that he’s OK,” Strider told Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s one of the best players of this century, so having him on the field is important. It’s good for the game.”
- Bryce Harper
Phillies manager Rob Thomson noted that Harper was “in a lot of pain” after the hit and said he would be re-evaluated on Wednesday morning.
Despite losing their star early in the game, the Phillies pulled off a 2-0 victory in the opener of their three-game home series against Atlanta. Through 53 games this season, Harper is hitting .267 with a .372 on-base percentage, .450 slugging, 8 home runs, and 33 RBIs. While the incident gave fans a scare, both the team and Strider were relieved it wasn’t a more serious injury.
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