PITTSBURGH — The scuffling Philadelphia Phillies suffered a blow Saturday when they placed first baseman Bryce Harper on the 10-day injured list because of right wrist inflammation before losing to the Pirates 2-1.
Harper sat out Friday night's 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh. The move is retroactive to Friday.
The two-time National League MVP and eight-time All-Star is hitting .258 with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 57 games. He missed five games, from May 26 to June 2, with a bruised right elbow after being hit by a pitch from Atlanta's Spencer Strider.
''It's been long enough,'' Harper said when asked how long his wrist has been bothering him. ''It's got to the point where I can't really function on a baseball field or anything like that. So, it's a good time for me to take some time and get it right.''
Harper said he felt pain in the wrist during a large portion of last season, when he hit 30 homers while helping the Phillies win the NL East.
''It's gotten progressively worse (this season)," Harper said. ''I felt it early in the season, and I tried to play through it as long as I could.''
The Phillies do not have a timetable for when Harper might be able to return.
''I'm hoping it's close to 10 days, but I really don't know,'' manager Rob Thomson said.
