The Philadelphia Phillies suffered a brutal loss on Saturday night. Star slugger and reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper was up against Blake Snell of the San Diego Padres. Things turned ugly, though, when Harper took a 97 mph fastball straight to his hand. Harper immediately winced in pain, and was forced out of action.
Phillies fans were obviously concerned with Bryce Harper and the potential ramifications of his injury. Shortly after his exit, the worst-case scenario was confirmed: Harper had suffered a fractured thumb. There's no official prognosis yet, but a lengthy absence is to expected for the two-time MVP. (via Matt Gelb)
The Phillies say Bryce Harper fractured his left thumb.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) June 26, 2022
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As with every hit by pitch incident in the MLB, some fans called into question Snell's intent during the pitch. However, it does seem like the Padres hitter just lost control of the pitch. Harper was evidently frustrated, but he seemed to reassure Snell that he knew it wasn't intentional. Watch the gesture of the Phillies star here, as he seems to say it was his fault.
Imagine being the greatest hitter in the sport and your season could potentially be over.
Harper makes sure to accept Snell's apology before even reaching the dugout
World class Bryce Harper pic.twitter.com/rfLuFveqmY
— Phillies Muse (@Phillies_Muse) June 26, 2022
Harper was having himself a fantastic follow-up to his 2021 MVP campaign despite battling injuries. The Phillies slugger had himself a near-identical season in 2022, posting splits similar to last year. In many ways, he was the glue that held this team together, as they try to battle for a Wild Card spot in the playoffs.
With that injury, the Phillies are now stuck in a pretty rough spot. Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber can surely pick up the slack in Harper's absence. However, the dominating presence Harper has on the mound will be sorely missed. It will be interesting to see how Philadelphia responds to this blow.
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