The Philadelphia Phillies thought that Luis Arráez’s arrival would add another dimension to their offense. And it seemingly did. But it also triggered a defensive shuffle, sending Bryce Harper back to right field. What initially looked like a boost now appears concerning due to the veteran’s lingering knee soreness. And Phillies manager Don Mattingly addressed the matter after Harper seemed uncomfortable during the St. Louis Cardinals game on Wednesday. 

“It gets you to the point where if he’s hurt or hurting, we probably just sit him and let him get healthy. He’s saying he’s not hurt. It’s no different than before,” the Phillies interim manager told the reporters, as per NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The soreness isn’t actually a new issue for Harper. The 2x NL MVP winner acknowledged that it started even before the All-Star break. It became noticeable for the first time on July 11. The Phillies were in Detroit, and Harper attempted a double in the very first inning.

He slid hard to reach the bag, and the impact with the ground triggered the pain. But it also subsided quickly, before resurfacing recently. 

Get the EssentiallySports Daily Newsletter. Stay ahead of the game with daily updates, exclusive stories, expert takes, and the biggest moments from the world's most popular sports.

“Just soreness, nothing over the top,” the 33-year-old said.

But that was before he stepped on the field for the final game against the Cardinals. And during his at-bat, he appeared to need some time in the 9th inning. Harper fouled a pitch and waited for a while instead of readying for the next throw.

The umpire even paused the game for a brief period. But the 9x All-Star said he simply needed to regain his composure after two bad swings. 

So, what caused the resurfacing of his injury? Probably his repositioning on the field. 

The Phillies acquired Luis Arráez at the trade deadline. And to make room for him in the infield, Harper gave up his spot and moved to the outfield. Although he spent several seasons at right field at the beginning of his career, it was the first time since 2022 that he was fielding there. And the increased running presumably triggered the soreness in his left knee. 

Bryce Harper has been quite excited about Arráez and openly praised his bat-to-ball skill. And a Phillies insider recently pointed out that Arráez batting just behind Harper has allowed the veteran to be more selective with his hits.

Instead of chasing the pitchers, he is letting them come to him. And his walk rate has also increased while he has managed to reduce his strikeout rate ever since the trade. 

But the same thing that improved his offensive stance also invited another concern for him. While that is obviously not on the Phillies’ latest recruit, it is still worrying. They had already removed him from defensive duties and were using him as DH. 

“We just go to the medical every day, he tells us he’s available, and we make a decision,” Mattingly said.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia lost its second game in a row and dropped the series against the Cardinals. They suffered a 7-1 defeat in the third game. Bryce Harper is a key piece of their offense, and they need him healthy and back as soon as possible.