Bryce Harper out indefinitely for Phillies with broken thumb

“I’ve never had a hand injury like this,” Harper told reporters as he stood in front of his locker wearing a thumb brace after the game. “I have never broken anything in my life. It’s new to me, so I’m just going to take it day by day, see where we are and see the Philadelphia specialist. And if I need to see another specialist somewhere, then I will.

In immediate and obvious pain, he fell to his knees, clutching his hand as Phillies coach Paul Buchheit entered the field. There were no immediate details about the fracture and Phillies general manager Dave Dombrowski, who was traveling with the team, said it was unclear whether he would need surgery. Last season, Harper only missed a few games after being hit in the face by a fastball thrown by Genesis Cabrera of the St. Louis Cardinals, but it’s a distinctly different type of injury.

“I wish it had hit me in the face. I don’t break my facial bones,” Harper said with a laugh. “I can take [a] 98 [mph pitch] in the face, but I can’t take 97 in the thumb. Yeah, I was kind of in protective mode, kinda trying to put my hand up and not let it hit me again.

“It’s just a disappointment. I’m really disgusted.

This was evident when he walked off the pitch, angrily directing comments at Snell, who waved it was unintentional. Moments later, Harper appeared to say, “I know, I know.”

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“It wasn’t heated at all,” Harper said. “It was just the timing and a shitty situation. I’ve been playing against Blake since we were 10, 11, so I know there was no ill will behind it. The inside court is part of the game. He’s a great player and a great human being too. I wish him the best, and told him to keep throwing that fastball inside, because it defines that slider really well.

Snell told reporters he texted Harper. “Obviously I felt bad hitting him,” Snell said. “I don’t do that, and he knows it. We talked. We managed it. He plays with a lot of passion, and I can understand why he would be upset. I am as upset as he is. … I just hope he recovers quickly, comes back and continues to compete.

Harper, who will be placed on the disabled list on Sunday, is hitting .318 with 15 home runs, 48 ​​RBIs and a .985 OPS this season in 64 games. Due to a small tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, he hasn’t played in the outfield since April 16 and hoped that a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest would allow him to continue playing. play while avoiding Tommy’s end of the season. John’s surgery.