ST. LOUIS — When Bryce Harper volunteered to move back to the outfield, he wasn’t concerned about his knee.
Harper said Tuesday that he “banged up” his left knee in the Phillies’ final series before the All-Star break in Detroit. It happened when he slid into second on a double in the Phillies’ July 11 game against the Tigers.
He was sore. Not enough to miss any time, but Harper said it was bothering him during the Home Run Derby, from which he was eliminated in the first round.
After the All-Star break, it started to improve. But now that Harper is back in right field to open an infield spot for newly acquired second baseman Luis Arraez, his knee is starting to bother him again.
“Just time on feet,” Harper said. “It’s more when I stop than when I run, so it’s more like braking on it. But when I’m at full speed, I feel fine. When I hit, I feel fine. It’s just coming down from it.”
It’s still not bothering him enough that he needs a full day off, but the knee is part of the reason Harper has started at designated hitter twice in the last three days, including Monday’s series-opening 6-5 win against the Cardinals. Kyle Schwarber started at first base both times to allow Harper a half day.
Harper returned to right field on Tuesday, though, with Alec Bohm drawing back in the lineup at first. Interim manager Don Mattingly plans to keep finding opportunities to rest Harper as he builds up as a right fielder. He has removed Harper for a defensive replacement late in games when the Phillies are leading to give him a break, which Harper has said he’s fine with.
But Harper doesn’t expect his DH days to be quite this frequent going forward.
“I didn’t really think [Monday] was that type of day for me. That was more of just like a DH spot. It’s hot, that kind of stuff,” Harper said. “Obviously, it’s bothering me a little bit, but I don’t know. We’ll see. I’ll take a DH anytime I can get it, but I don’t think we’re there at that point yet.”
In fact, it’s important to Harper that he continues to get everyday outfield reps in order to get acclimated.
“I think the more I play, I think it’ll help me just like getting in condition more,” he said. “I feel like I’m in spring training again, trying to get through everything. So I think the more I play, the more I get my body accustomed to playing the outfield. I think it’ll kind of weasel its way out.”
Harper, 33, has started all 120 Phillies games this year. Mattingly said it’s feasible for him to start all 162 — which would be a first in Harper’s career — provided that the knee is manageable and he stays healthy otherwise.
“It just depends if the health stays good, right? That’s all it is. I mean, we’re not going to not have him in there unless he can’t be in there, and he absolutely has to have a day,” Mattingly said. “So I think it’s realistic.”
Harper is looking forward to getting in the outfield on Thursday during the Phillies’ Field of Dreams game against the Minnesota Twins in Dyersville, Iowa. The stadium is located adjacent to the field shown in the 1989 film, with a cornfield in center field that the players walk through at the beginning of the game.
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Harper said that he has corn on the cob-related gear that he plans to wear during the game.
“It’ll be cool, the corn behind me, stuff like that. So I’m excited,” Harper said. “It’ll be fun for all of us. I mean, we all grew up watching that movie, so being able to kind of walk through the corn and do some pretty cool stuff with the older generation will be a lot of fun.”
McFarlane back up
The Phillies bullpen got a reinforcement on Tuesday, with righty Alex McFarlane called back up to the major league club. He filled the spot of Alan Rangel, who was optioned after pitching 2⅔ innings in the Phillies’ win on Monday.
Rangel was one of two arms available in relief behind Monday’s starter Andrew Painter, along with Jonathan Bowlan.
Chase Shugart was recalled Monday even though he was unavailable to pitch. To be eligible to return less than 15 days after being optioned, Shugart had to replace an injured player on the 26-man roster. Caleb Kilian’s oblique strain provided that opportunity.
This marks the third stint with the major league club this season for McFarlane. The right-hander had a scoreless appearance against the Dodgers for his major league debut on July 22. With the bullpen still stretched thin, however, it’s possible the Phillies might need to call on him in higher-leverage situations.
“He’s going to have to get big [outs],” Mattingly said. “Bigger ones than before. So we’ll see. We’re looking for him to just throw the ball the way he’s been throwing it, and he’ll be fine.”
Extra bases
Zack Wheeler (10-3, 2.69 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale opposite Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy (8-4, 3.45).
In trading for Luis Arraez at the deadline, the Phillies displaced three-fourths of their infield but left Trea Turner at shortstop. To help make sense of it all, pennant-winning former shortstop and current radio broadcaster Kevin Stocker joined Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast. Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Previous episodes: Bobby Dickerson | Jim Bowden | John Middleton | Ryan Howard | Dan Baker | Ricky Bottalico | Preston Mattingly | Caleb Cotham | Larry Bowa | Joe Maddon
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