Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will each miss at least 10 days, as the Phillies placed two of their most important players on the injured list Friday, but major-league sources said both had avoided significant injuries.
The initial prognosis for Harper, those sources said, showed a low-grade hamstring strain. Harper could be activated as soon as July 9, but the Phillies could pad his recovery by another 10 days with the All-Star break serving as a natural buffer.
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Schwarber’s groin strain is considered mild and he could spend the minimum 10 days on the IL.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said both players could return within two weeks.
“There’s a good chance they’ll come back before the All-Star break,” Thomson said. “But having said that, we want to make sure they’re completely healed.”
Losing Harper, a National League MVP candidate, is a blow to the Phillies no matter how long it is. He suffered the injury on the final play of Thursday night’s loss to the Miami Marlins and hobbled off the field. Harper has hit .342/.429/.647 since May 1. He won the league’s player of the month honors for May. He could win again in June. He’s been that good.
"I've never felt anything like this before."
Bryce Harper speaks with the media following the left hamstring injury he sustained on the final play of the game. pic.twitter.com/WYY7DMKEUD
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 28, 2024
The Phillies have dealt with injuries all season; they were without star shortstop Trea Turner for six weeks and catcher J.T. Realmuto is still recovering from knee surgery that should sideline him into mid-July. In both cases, the club has exerted caution. The Phillies have an eight-game divisional lead over the Atlanta Braves, who they’ll meet next weekend at Truist Park. Harper and Schwarber will not be available for those games.
The Phillies activated utilityman Kody Clemens from the IL and recalled center fielder Johan Rojas from Triple A to fill the roster spots. Back spasms had sidelined Clemens for about a month. He figures to assume most of the at-bats at first base when the Phillies face a right-handed pitcher. Alec Bohm could slide over to first on occasion.
Harper, as the top vote-getter in the entire National League, was named an All-Star starter on Thursday evening, hours before his hamstring injury. His status for that game is uncertain; Harper has yet to play in an All-Star Game since joining the Phillies in 2019. He was named to the team in 2022 but a wayward pitch broke his left thumb that June.
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(Photo of Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper: Rich Graessle / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
