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November 3, 2024
Bryce Harper escapes injury after 97 mph pitch to face

Bryce Harper escapes injury after 97 mph pitch to face

Cardinals left-hander Genesis Cabrera hit him in the face with a 97 mph fastball to lead off the sixth inning. Harper left the field under his own power despite visibly bleeding.

After the game, Harper posted on Instagram: “Everything feels good. Everything came back good — CT (scan), all that kind of stuff. So, face is still there. We’re all good. See you guys soon.”

Cabrera also plunked Didi Gregorius in the back with his next pitch, making it two hit batters on the first two hitters he faced after replacing starter Johan Oviedo. The umpires warned both teams, which prompted Phillies manager Joe Girardi to earn an ejection while arguing.

The Phillies eventually won 5-3.

Harper, 28, went 0-for-2 before leaving, leaving his season batting average at .321. He has six homers and 10 RBIs in 23 games.

A six-time All-Star, Harper was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2012 and the NL’s Most Valuable Player in 2015, both while he was with the Washington Nationals. He is in his third season with the Phillies, and he has a career .277/.388/.515 batting line with 238 homers and 678 RBIs in 1,165 games.