DENVER -- Bryce Harper’s right elbow is bothering him, after all.

He was the Phillies’ designated hitter for a second consecutive game Monday night against the Rockies at Coors Field because of what Joe Girardi called “a little irritation, a little tendinitis” in his throwing elbow. Girardi said Harper will DH the rest of the series. The hope is that following Thursday’s off-day, Harper can return to right field by Friday.

“I think right now it’s just precautionary, try to get through it,” Harper said. “I’ve been getting treatment on it. I’ve never had arm problems in my life. Even when I was younger, all the way through. It’s very new to me.”

Harper’s elbow issue first popped up following a throw to the plate on April 11 at Citizens Bank Park. He grabbed his elbow after he threw, but Girardi said after the game that he was fine. Girardi said Monday that Harper irritated the elbow after making a few throws over the weekend in Miami.

“It just hurts,” Harper said. “It just doesn’t feel good when I throw.”

But it feels OK when he swings a bat?

“Yeah, I mean, as of now it doesn’t affect me at all when I swing,” he said. “When I was throwing, it was sore, it was affecting me a little bit. The last couple days when I was able to DH and get treatment on it, it’s felt pretty good. … That’s kind of what we’re doing right now. We’re using the DH days for treatment and recovery of my arm and see where we’re at. I can’t tell you it’s going to be perfect, right? I think it’s better than what it has been the past couple days.”

Harper said there are no plans for imaging exams or anti-inflammatory injections.