Harper receives a ball and leaves Phillies; negative x-rays

NEW YORK – Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper left Friday night's game against the New York Mets with a bruise in his right hand after being hit in the right hand by a pitching by starter Steven Matz in the third entry.

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The x-rays were negative, but Harper said after the game that he could not grab a bat and was not sure he could do it on Saturday.

"I don't know yet. We'll see how I feel tomorrow," he said. "Of course, we are in the final stretch at the moment, so if I can be there, I will be there. But I must also be careful."

Harper, hitting with one out and a runner in the third, was ahead 1-0 when a 93 mph straight from Matz hit him. Harper backed away and the ball bounced in his hand.

The 26-year-old fell to his knees and grabbed his hand in pain before standing up and walking back to the plate, where Mets catcher Wilson Ramos seemed to ask Harper how he was. Harper put his head on Ramos's shoulder before Ramos, a former teammate with the Washington Nationals, slapped him on the shoulder.

After a brief visit from a trainer and manager Gabe Kapler, Harper jogged to first base.

Rhys Hoskins delivered him in the middle in a double kill that ended the inning, after which Sean Rodriguez jogged to replace Harper in the right field.

The ball to Harper could be the last chapter of what has become a volatile rivalry this season. The Mets have been hit by a pitch 14 times in 16 games against the Phillies, who have been hit by a New York pitcher eight times.

Hoskins was offended with a pair of upward shots by Jacob Rhame on April 23 and scored his disgust by jogging for 35 seconds after giving Rhame a home run the following night.

On July 6, the Phillies right,

Jake Arrieta, hit three Mets hitters. Todd Frazier, the second hitter hit by Arrieta, was ejected for arguing after the plate umpire, Tripp Gibson, warned both teams. Two batters later, Arrieta was not ejected after hitting Amed Rosario with a change, although New York manager Mickey Callaway was ejected for arguing. After the game, Arrieta said that if Frazier wasn't happy with the blow, "he can come see me and I'll make a dent in his skull."

"Every time it squares a little, it's scary," Harper said. "I definitely wanted to be in the initial and stay in the game. But yes, it wasn't good."

Harper, in the first year of a 13-year contract worth $ 330 million, is hitting .254 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs in 136 games.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.