Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper admitted he is dealing with some frustrating injuries, though he tried to downplay their significance.
Harper reluctantly acknowledged Friday that he is dealing with soreness in his right elbow and his wrist, though he intends to keep playing through it. Harper said the issues were “not anything crazy,” but that the wrist pain started in May and has been gradually getting worse.
“I don’t want to make excuses for what I do,” Harper said, via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “You know what I’m saying? I’ve just got to get through it. Hopefully it gets better, rather than getting worse. [The wrist’s] finally getting to the point where I feel like it’s turning a corner. My elbow is just like — there.”
Fans noticed that Harper began wearing a black sleeve on his right arm this week, the first real clue that something was off. He also has not homered since Aug. 9, though his other offensive numbers remain solid.
Harper has prioritized staying healthy in recent years, but these issues keep flaring up for him. Ideally, this will not impact him too much in the postseason, when the Phillies will need him to be at his best.
