Bryce Harper could make his return for Phillies vs. Padres

Harper had “the swing of his life” as FOX broadcaster Joe Davis exclaimed within the second in belting a go-ahead two-run homer in Game 5 of the 2022 National League Championship Series. The eighth-inning blast towards Robert Suarez launched the Phillies into the World Series a spot the Padres haven’t been in additional than 1 / 4 century.

Fast ahead to the current and Harper is approaching his return from a wrist harm that has saved him sidelined since June 5. It seems he might be again within the lineup early this week, although Philadelphia supervisor Rob Thomson famous that Sunday wasn’t Harper’s smoothest day of rehab.

“Bryce is a little stiff today,” supervisor Rob Thomson mentioned earlier than the Phillies’ 2-1 highway win over the Atlanta Braves. “And that’s normal, just because he took so many swings the last couple days. It was a heavy workload.”

The plan all alongside was for Harper to relaxation and get therapy on Sunday. In reality, when requested if it was “out of the realm of possibility” that two-time MVP may probably be within the lineup Monday, Thomson mentioned, “No, not necessarily.”

Obviously if Harper is within the lineup, he may probably match up late within the sport towards Suarez, who’s coming off a blown save in Sunday’s finale towards the Cincinnati Reds.

Suarez, who has had an up-and-down season, was referred to as upon Sunday to guard a 2-1 lead within the ninth towards Cincinnati. However, he gave up two runs and 4 hits whereas recording just one out as San Diego dropped the rubber sport 3-2.

The Padres had been 37-2 when main after eight innings.

” says that we got a really good bullpen,” Padres supervisor Mike Shildt mentioned. ” says that we play good defense. It says we put ourselves in position to win a game and we typically shake hands.”

Meanwhile, Philadelphia closed out a decent one Sunday with Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm every pitching a scoreless inning in reduction of Ranger Suarez. The Phillies gained regardless of solely recording seven hits.

” are doing their job of keeping us in games, but we’ve obviously got to pick our offense up a little bit,” Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto mentioned. “And hopefully, as the year goes on, we get hotter and hotter so we can give them a little more breathing room.”

Monday’s pitching matchup will pit Phillies ace Zack Wheeler towards fellow right-hander Matt Waldron, who has missed the season’s first three months with an indirect pressure.

Wheeler is 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 9 profession begins towards San Diego and enters on a sizzling streak, having allowed one earned run or fewer in seven of his final eight begins. He gave up one unearned run in six innings Wednesday in a 2-0 loss to the Houston Astros.

Waldron, in the meantime, went 7-11 with a 4.91 ERA in 27 appearances for the Padres final season. The knuckleballer loved considered one of his finest begins of 2024 in a sport at Citizens Bank Park, the place he allowed just one run over seven innings in a 5-2 victory. He is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two profession appearances vs. the Phillies.

“He’s a beast, dude,” Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill mentioned after Waldron’s robust efficiency that day.

Field Level Media

This article was generated from an automatic information company feed with out modifications to textual content.