Phillies’ Bryce Harper ‘still super sore,’ not ready to play yet

Three days after taking a fastball off the right elbow, Bryce Harper grabbed a mitt and returned to the field at Citizens Bank Park.

But the Phillies star isn’t ready to play yet.

“Still super sore,” Harper said Friday in his first public comments since getting hit in the first inning Tuesday night by Atlanta starter Spencer Strider. “Obviously getting treatment, things like that. Not sure when I’m going to play again.”

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Harper’s elbow is bruised, not broken, but he said the pitch hit him “in a pretty tough spot.” Although he said the swelling has decreased each day and he took grounders at first base before Friday’s game, he hasn’t regained the range of motion to attempt swinging a bat. Harper wasn’t expecting to take swings Friday.

Asked if he thinks he’ll need to go on the 10-day injured list, Harper said, “I hope not.” If Harper’s absence lingers into next week, the Phillies could backdate an IL move to Wednesday.

For now, Harper classified his status as “super day-by-day.”

When Harper does return, he said, he will wear a protective guard on his elbow, likely the same brace that he wore in 2023 when he came back from Tommy John elbow surgery.

“There’s times where I’m OK with it, and there’s times where it feels kind of weird,” Harper said. “It’s really hard to find braces that kind of feel good, that don’t feel as bulky.”

One thing Harper won’t do: move off the plate, even if opposing pitchers continue to attack him inside.

“I’m not going to back off the plate,” he said. “I’ve always kind of been on top of the plate. I totally understand throwing inside. It’s part of the game. I get it. It’s just a little scarier nowadays just because guys throw a little harder, so there’s a little bit of give and take with that, right? Wearing a brace, wearing an arm guard, that helps a little bit.”

Save for the “July-ish” timeframe outlined by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski before the season, the Phillies have been intentionally nonspecific about when Andrew Painter will make his major league debut.

Here’s a clue: It’ll probably “late July-ish.”

Painter has pitched 28⅓ innings in the minors, a workload that is “right where we want,” according to manager Rob Thomson, who also noted that the 22-year-old righty will get a breather around the All-Star break.

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Is it possible that Painter could be in the majors by then?

“I don’t think so,” Thomson said, barring injuries to other starters in the major league rotation.

Painter has a 2.65 ERA in 17 innings over four starts for triple-A Lehigh Valley. He’s scheduled for six innings in his next start Wednesday in Charlotte.

One year after receiving a standing ovation in his first time back in Citizens Bank Park with the Brewers, former Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins made his way back to town.

Hoskins is having a solid season in Milwaukee, entering the weekend with a .282 average, seven homers, and an .843 OPS. He ditched the leg kick that had become his signature with the Phillies but attributed most of his early success to being another year removed from the torn ACL that caused him to miss all of the 2023 season.

“I’ve learned that time is your best friend in that regard,” Hoskins said. “I’m getting to play every day and I’ve just found a nice rhythm. So far, so good.”

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Drafted and developed by the Phillies, Hoskins became the team’s de facto captain and a pillar of their return to contention in 2022. He was popular with fans and teammates, with Harper referring to him as “one of my favorites.”

“It’s always fun to have him back at the Bank,” Harper said. “So many good memories with this organization and this fanbase, too. I expect people to be excited that he’s back.”

The Brewers spent an off-day in Philadelphia on Thursday. Hoskins said he and his wife, Jayme, took their 7-month-old daughter to some favorite restaurants, notably Mighty Bread in South Philly for pastries in the morning and later Suraya in Fishtown for “as much pita as we could consume in one night.”

Aaron Nola (ankle) is scheduled for another bullpen session Sunday. Thomson said Nola will probably face hitters in live batting practice before making a minor-league start, the precursor to a return to the Phillies rotation. ... The Phillies acquired lefty reliever Josh Walker from the Blue Jays for cash considerations. Walker, 30, posted a 7.20 ERA in three appearances before getting designated for assignment by Toronto. He was added to the 40-man roster and assigned to Lehigh Valley. ... Jesús Luzardo (5-0, 2.15 ERA) is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. Saturday against Brewers righty Chad Patrick (2-4, 2.97 ERA).