PHILADELPHIA — For a guy who isn’t yet ready to play baseball, Bryce Harper sure is hitting baseballs like one.
The Phillies’ $330 million man isn’t cleared to slide, thus he is still weeks away from returning to the big leagues. But he seems to be doing everything short of that to reduce the duration of his final rehab, including modified sliding exercises, high-velocity batting practice and work on the curveball machine at Citizens Bank Park before Tuesday’s game with Miami. He’s taken ground balls on the infield to get glove work in.
That does not mean that Harper, who had Tommy John surgery in November, is close to returning. His biggest remaining step is clearance to slide, since there is a risk of reinjuring the rebuilt ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow. But all the batting work is designed to diminish how long it’ll take to get his timing back. And if it was just about seeing and hitting pitches, he’d be ready to go tomorrow.
That’s according to manager Rob Thomson, who when asked if Harper was ready to bat in a game, replied, “I would say yes. He’s done a lot of hitting.”
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For an 8-4 loss to Miami Tuesday, the Phillies left plenty of grist for the ‘what if’ mill.
Like what if Aaron Nola got a pitch on the bottom edge of the zone called strike 3 to Jean Segura in the sixth to end that frame at 3-0, runs the Phillies promptly recouped in the bottom of the inning? Catcher J.T. Realmuto thought it was a strike, getting out of his crouch and taking a step toward the dugout.
Nola was more frustrated with his inability to close out batters rather than the umpire’s calls.
“Didn’t make the pitches when I needed to,” he said. “With two strikes, I felt like I was one pitch away, and I kept kind of missing a little bit and they kept getting hits, and it kind of spiraled.”
Or what if Bryson Stott, after a superb at-bat against starter Jesus Luzardo, doesn’t take too big a turn around first after his two-run single cut the deficit to 4-3, cut down at first by Segura’s throw across the diamond? With Luzardo likely done at 98 pitches and pinch-hitter Brandon Marsh due up, the Phillies would’ve had men at the corners. And Marsh would walk and single in two plate appearances.
Both issues speak to perhaps something larger. Nola entered the sixth having thrown just 58 pitches, then needed 32 to get two outs. He was bidding to join his last start in New York as the only one by a Phillie this season to last six innings. That toll on the bullpen might have showed in rough outings from heavily taxed relievers Connor Brogdon and Andrew Bellatti.
Stott, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games and whom Thomson said will return to the leadoff spot Wednesday, followed a trend of Phillies running into outs on the base paths. And the latest installment created a dose of lament.
“It’s just not a very good play by myself,” Stott said. “… It’s always one hit away from a big inning, and I think we had all the momentum when I got back-picked at first. Who knows what would’ve happened there, if they score four more runs or not? Just to give ourselves a chance in that spot would’ve been nice.”
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NOTES >> Luis Arraez became the first Marlin to hit for the cycle. He doubled in the first inning, tripled in the sixth, hit a solo homer off Brogdon in the seventh and singled in a run in the eighth. … Ranger Suarez (elbow strain) threw a bullpen session, going 30 to 35 pitches. Thomson said he looked “very good,” and the team will decide on next steps Wednesday. … Cristopher Sanchez (triceps strain) tossed four spotless innings at Lehigh Valley, with six strikeouts and one hit allowed. He threw 52 pitches. He’ll stay there for now, Thomson said. … Nick Nelson (hamstring) will throw Thursday and Saturday. … Garrett Stubbs, who felt a twinge in his leg late in Monday’s win, was available off the bench Tuesday. … Zack Wheeler (0-1, 5.59 ERA) will take the mound Wednesday for the series rubber game, opposed by Edward Cabrera (0-1, 5.40).
Source: Berkshire mont
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