Bryce Harper saw the pitch flying toward his face, so he immediately turned his head and lifted his passed on hand to safeguard himself.
Ends up, the Phillies slugger would prefer he hadn't. Harper will be sidelined endlessly with a messed up left thumb after he was hit by a contribute
from Blake Snell Philadelphia's 4-2 triumph over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
"I sort of wish it hit me in the face," said Harper, who was wearing a support on his thumb. "I don't break bones in front of me.
I want to take 98 (mph) to the face, yet not 97 to the thumb. No doubt, I was somewhat in security mode somewhat attempting to get my hand up there and not let it hit me once more.
"It's simply a bummer. I'm truly mooched out." The ruling NL MVP, who missed a couple of games last year when he was smacked in the face by a fastball
from St. Louis' Genesis Cabrera, checked his swing as the 97 mph fastball from Snell rode inside and high toward his shoulder prior to hitting him outwardly of the left hand in the fourth inning.
Harper promptly tumbled to the ground and was in noticeable agony as he held his hand while kneeling down for a few minutes with Phillies head mentor Paul Buchheit taking care of him.
Bryce Harper saw the pitch flying toward his face, so he immediately turned his head and lifted his passed on hand to safeguard himself.
Phillies senior supervisor Dave Dombrowski, who went with the group on the excursion, said it was too soon to decide whether medical procedure will be required.
He added he didn't know what kind of crack Harper had or where on his thumb the injury happened. Harper said he would see a clinical expert when he gets back to Philadelphia.