Phillies 'confident' Bryce will be OK after HBP

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Phillies had a scare on Friday afternoon when their new superstar Bryce Harper was plunked on the right foot by a 96 mph fastball from Blue Jays right-hander Trent Thornton.

Harper went to the ground in obvious pain, though he proceeded to get up and walk off the field gingerly. Shane Robinson entered the game for him as a pinch-runner.

After initial X-rays at ballpark were negative, Harper left the stadium to get more detailed X-rays.

“Right now Bryce has a right foot contusion, and we’re going to go in and meet with the trainers,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “Right now we don’t have reason for major concern, but obviously we want to go inside and take a look first.”

Kapler said he expects that the right fielder will be fine, but it was clearly a scary moment in the Phillies' dugout.

“Certainly extra scary given where we are in camp,” Kapler said. “We’re confident and we understand we have a good club on the field, and we’re confident that Bryce is going to be all right.”

Harper went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before the HBP. He is 0-for-5 with three walks in four games since signing a 13-year contract with Philadelphia.

Kapler said it was too early to speculate on Harper’s availability for the rest of the spring. The Phillies open the season against the Braves on March 28.

“I think it’s a little premature to speculate on lost at-bats or anything like that,” Kapler said. “First and foremost, we probably have to get inside and meet with our medical team and discuss it. But again, not overly concerned right now.”