Phillies' Bryce Harper Out vs. Pirates With Wrist Injury, Is Day-to-Day

The Philadelphia Phillies are taking a cautious approach with first baseman Bryce Harper.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters that Harper would not play in Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates as he deals with a "lingering wrist issue."

Harper told trainers on Friday that the issue was "bothering him a bit more" and Thomson described the recovery as "day-to-day."

Harper recently missed several games due to an elbow injury he suffered on a hit-by-pitch. He returned to the lineup on June 3 and played in three games against the Toronto Blue Jays.

He is hitting .258/.368/.446 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 57 games for the Phillies. While losing his bat creates a hole in the middle of Philadelphia's lineup, ensuring Harper's health in the long run is surely more important for a team in contention.

Philadelphia is 37-25 and trails the New York Mets by 1.5 games in the NL East. The team has made the postseason in three consecutive seasons and a healthy Harper significantly improves the team's chances in October.