Bryce Harper’s knee soreness flared up after a move to the outfield. He thinks it’s fine

ST. LOUIS — After Bryce Harper sent a slider bouncing into right field at Comerica Park on July 11, he slid into second — his left knee hitting the ground hard as his right leg extended — for a double.

In the aftermath, he dealt with soreness in his left knee that lingered into the Home Run Derby the following week. The pain eventually subsided until he started playing the outfield again last week.

“I was not feeling it,” Harper said Tuesday, “but the more I’ve ramped it up, I’ve gotten sore. I think the more I play, I think it’ll help me — just getting in condition more. I feel like I’m in spring training again, trying to get through everything. The more I play, the more my body is accustomed to playing the outfield, I think it’ll kind of weasel its way out.”

The Phillies have tried to ease Harper back into right field, a position he last played four years ago before moving last week as part of a post-trade deadline positional shuffle, across seven games with this new arrangement. In two uncompetitive games, Philadelphia removed Harper after eight innings. The Phillies also gave him two starts at DH. In the other three games, he played nine innings or longer in right.

Interim manager Don Mattingly said Monday the Phillies figured moving Harper would “push some things,” and cited knee soreness as one of the reasons for giving him another start at DH on Monday. The Phillies are staying on top of it, Mattingly said, and he has stayed in communication with Harper.

The pain, Harper said, mostly comes when he suddenly stops or breaks in the outfield. There is no pain with hitting or running. Harper said he thought Monday’s start at DH had more to do with the hot conditions in St. Louis than his knee.

“Obviously it’s bothering me a little bit,” Harper said. “But we’ll see. I’ll take a DH (day) any time I can get it, but I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”

Harper has played in all 120 games this season, and hopes to play all 162. Playing right field rather than first base may make that goal more challenging. But Mattingly said he feels 162 is realistic for Harper, barring anything happening where he “absolutely has to have a day.”

It remains likely Harper will spend the vast majority of the next 42 games in right field. Mattingly said Monday he is “absolutely” committed to Alec Bohm at first base, though Kyle Schwarber has started twice at first in the past three games — mostly to give Harper some time at DH.

There have been so many moving pieces for the Phillies this past week — Harper being perhaps the most important. After years of saying he was willing to move back to the outfield, it was finally time. Some hiccups, including a miscue backing up a ball and the soreness, have arisen. It has only been a week; the Phillies will hope things continue to improve.

“I feel like I’m in a spring training game with my arm, legs, everything,” Harper said. “Just got to keep it going.”