The Philadelphia Phillies, who currently hold the best record in baseball, had a major scare on Tuesday when eight-time All-Star Bryce Harper had to leave the game against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning after being hit by a pitch.
The Phillies were playing the Braves, who are 8.5 games behind them in the National League East standings. With hopes of narrowing the gap, Atlanta started their ace, Spencer Strider, who was making just his third appearance since recovering from elbow surgery and a hamstring injury.
On his second pitch to Harper, with an 0-1 count, Strider hit the two-time NL MVP on the right elbow with a 96.5 mph fastball.
Bryce Harper was removed from the game after being hit by a pitch in the right elbow pic.twitter.com/mRjQUMrvQ0
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 27, 2025
Harper was clearly in pain, dropping to his knees after taking a few steps toward the dugout. Phillies manager Rob Thomson and a team trainer quickly came out to assess him. After a brief discussion, Harper — in the seventh year of a 13-year, \$350 million contract — was helped off the field and into the clubhouse.
X-Rays Show No Structural Damage
John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that Bryce Harper has been diagnosed with an elbow contusion—essentially, a bruise. X-rays came back negative, indicating there is no significant structural damage such as a fracture.
It remains unclear whether Harper will be placed on the injured list or how much time, if any, he might miss.
The Phillies entered Tuesday’s game following a rare loss to the Athletics on Sunday, which ended their nine-game winning streak. They had won 15 of their last 19 games prior to that.
Tuesday marked the beginning of a seven-game homestand for Philadelphia, coming off a successful seven-game road trip in which they went 7-1.
Harper was the fourth batter hit by Spencer Strider in just 10 innings since returning from the injured list. In 2023, when Strider led the National League with 281 strikeouts, he also hit nine batters.
Over his career, Strider has now hit 16 batters in 344 innings, including Harper on Tuesday.
The current MLB leader in career hit batters is Charlie Morton of the Baltimore Orioles, with 189 in 2,172 2/3 innings—roughly one every 11.5 innings.
By comparison, Strider hits a batter approximately once every 21.5 innings.
Harper Earlier Had Tommy John on Right Elbow
The elbow injury Bryce Harper is currently dealing with is the same one he hurt back in 2022, which led to Tommy John surgery to fix a torn ulnar collateral ligament. That procedure took place following the Phillies’ World Series loss to the Houston Astros in six games.
Before Tuesday, Harper was hitting .267 with an .823 OPS and eight home runs this season. If he doesn’t improve that OPS, it would mark his lowest since 2016, when he recorded a .814 OPS while playing for the Washington Nationals.
Harper was selected first overall by Washington in the 2010 MLB Draft out of the College of Southern Nevada.
He made his major league debut in 2012 and quickly made an impact, earning NL Rookie of the Year honors and being named to the NL All-Star team. He won his first NL MVP in 2015 after hitting 42 home runs and posting a 1.109 OPS. His second MVP came in 2021 with the Phillies, when he hit 35 home runs and had a 1.044 OPS.
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