Bryce fractures thumb on HBP: 'A gut punch'

 SAN DIEGO -- The Phillies’ season changed with one pitch Saturday night time at Petco Park.

Bryce Harper fractured his left thumb whilst he turned into hit via Blake Snell’s ninety seven.2 mph fastball in the fourth inning. Harper does no longer know how tons time he will omit or if he'll require surgical treatment. He will have a better experience of that upon following similarly evaluation in Philadelphia.

“It’s just a gut punch,” Harper stated after the Phillies’ 4-2 victory over the Padres.

Any time overlooked is a major blow. There is no changing the reigning NL MVP.

“things appear for a purpose,” Harper stated. “every person says that. This motive sucks proper now, however on the identical time, it's far what it's miles. I’ve got to be effective. I’ve got to be superb for the men in here. I recognise they’ll pick up the slack. I’m just simply bummed for the organization, the men, the city of Philadelphia, the fanatics. I like going for walks obtainable and gambling every day. Surely bummed.”

Harper changed into having one of the first-rate seasons of his profession, notwithstanding playing seeing that mid-April with a torn UCL in his right arm. He became batting .318 with 15 domestic runs, 48 RBIs and a .984 OPS. He ranks fifth inside the NL in batting common, sixth in on-base percentage (.385) and second in slugging percent (.599).

The Phillies will place Harper on the 10-day injured listing on Sunday. Triple-A Lehigh Valley outfielder Mickey Moniak will take his vicinity at the roster. They wish he arrives in time for the collection finale Sunday.

“It’s a hard tablet to swallow,” Phillies meantime manager Rob Thomson said. “but they’re not going to cancel any video games. We’ve were given to play.”

Thomson said the Phillies will rotate Harper’s DH position with Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and others. However each hitter will need to step up.

They are aware of it.

“It’s devastating, to say the least,” Castellanos said. “He’s having an All-big name, MVP-quality year. To lose him for any quantity of time is just too long. We’re all going to should step up. Me, sincerely included. To carry the weight that we’re going to be lacking, it’s got to be executed.

“we are where we are and we’ve gained the video games that we've got, and i nonetheless think that there’s a better version of Rhys [Hoskins], I assume there’s a higher version of J.T. [Realmuto]. There’s a way better version of myself. I assume it’s only a matter of time before all the ones display up. If they show up on the same, baseball can get real amusing, real quick.”

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated the Braves gained the sector collection ultimate year without Ronald Acuña Jr., who suffered a season-ending knee damage on July 10.

They finished the regular season forty four-29. The Padres have now not had Fernando Tatis Jr. This season. They may be 45-29.

Chase Utley broke his right hand on July 26, 2007. He back Aug. 27. The Phillies went 15-thirteen without him.

“I imply, you just have to try this,” Dombrowski stated. “You lose excellent gamers. Again, I don’t recognize how long he’s going to be out at this factor, but, with any luck, he’ll be back sooner or later. We simply need to hold on from right here on and do the great task that we probably can. We’ve still were given a whole lot of proper hitters within the lineup.”

It's far unknown if Dombrowski will try to make an external pass to reinforce the lineup. It's far too early to mention how Harper’s injury would possibly adjust the team’s plans for the Aug. 2 trade deadline.

“This simply happened,” Dombrowski said. “We need to peer how we play. I’m still hopeful we’ll play nicely. We still have an excellent membership.”

Harper dropped to the floor as soon because the pitch hit him. It looked terrible, and it changed into. Dombrowski and others thought it hit Harper’s face, which took place to him in April 2021 in St. Louis. Harper in some way walked far from that one with best a bruised forearm from the ricochet.

“I form of wish it'd have hit me inside the face,” Harper said. “I don’t break bones in my face. I can take 98 to the face, but i will’t take ninety seven to the thumb.”

Harper finally were given up. He shook as he held his thumb. Pissed off, he shouted at Snell. The two have regarded each other for years. They texted each different throughout the game. Harper stated they're fine.

"obviously, I felt terrible hitting him,” Snell stated. “we've got talked; we've got treated it. It was in no way something. It is simply emotional. He plays with a variety of ardour, and i'm able to recognize why he'd be upset. I'm simply as disappointed as he is.”

The recovery time for a few fractured thumbs appears to be four to six weeks. Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson fractured his right thumb in advance this month. Giants first baseman Brandon Belt fractured his thumb final September. Realmuto fractured his proper thumb in February 2021.

Every acquired an anticipated recovery of 4 to six weeks.

However again, Harper gained’t realize the severity of his fracture until next week.

“I’ve never broken something in my lifestyles,” he said. “that is new to me. … It’s a bummer.”