WASHINGTON -- The infected blister that kept Bryce Harper out of the Phillies' lineup Saturday sidelined the slugger again for the club's 9-3 series finale loss to the Nationals on Sunday, and it could be longer before he returns to the field.

The Phillies are hopeful the issue resolves itself enough for Harper to be in the lineup Tuesday, when they continue their 11-game road trip with a two-game Interleague set against the Rangers in Texas. But neither their manager nor Harper was ready to commit to that as the club packed up from its five-game weekend series at Nationals Park.

“I don’t know yet. We’re going to take tomorrow and see where I’m at, go from there,” Harper said. “I’ve had many blisters on my hands, but never an infection on my hand like this.”

The Phillies have Monday off, which will grant Harper an extra day to heal in hopes of mitigating the issue as quickly as possible. Harper said he played through a blister on his left hand that is healed now for two or three weeks before the infection “flared up” this weekend. 

He is being treated with oral antibiotics and is considered day to day, but hasn’t swung a bat since coming off the bench to contribute a key pinch-hit double in Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader.

“I want to be out there, I want to be playing,” Harper said. “We’ll take these next couple days, see where it’s at and go from there.”

Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson was noncommittal Sunday morning when asked if Harper could return Tuesday.

“I think there is a chance,” Thomson said. “It’s still swollen.”

Even with Sunday’s loss, the Phillies have won 14 of 17 games and have the Majors’ second-best record this month (14-2), behind only the Braves and Yankees (14-1). They’ve hit 30 homers and are averaging 6.1 runs per game in June.

Harper has been a big part of that, hitting .404 (21-for-52) with five homers and 16 RBIs in 15 June games. But he’s far from Philadelphia’s only offensive threat, with Kyle Schwarber (7 HRs, 1.129 OPS this month entering play Sunday) and Rhys Hoskins (5 HRs, 1.104 OPS this month entering play Sunday) in particular thriving at the top of the lineup during this recent run. Meanwhile, the Phillies are looking to get key contributors Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto going after slow starts.

Harper is still restricted to designated-hitter duties due to the UCL tear in his right elbow, but the injury hasn’t affected him at the plate. He is following up his second MVP season with an excellent first half in 2022, hitting .326 with 15 homers and a 1.013 OPS in 60 games.

“Whenever you have injuries, you need to be good enough for guys to step in and absorb the injuries,” Thomson said. “We all know how great Harp is, but other guys have to step up and contribute, and that’s what they’re doing.”