Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper received a scheduled day off in Thursday night’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds. Chris Heisey will start and is batting seventh.
Manager Dusty Baker announced the decision Thursday afternoon, citing the 2015 National League MVP’s “tough series” against the New York Mets earlier this week.
“Harper doesn’t get many [days off], and I figured today’s a day,” Baker said. “He had a tough series, he got banged up, legs are a little tired. It’s that time of the year.”
Harper went a combined 4-for-9 and drove in three runs in Washington’s three-game sweep of its NL East rival, but ran awkwardly into first base completing a single on Monday and fouled a ball off his leg.