Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
After an amazing start to the 2013 fantasy baseball season, Washington Nationals OF Bryce Harper has literally been hobbled by injuries as of late. Harper was recently placed on the 15-day disabled list with a knee injury, but the injury could be a much worse than originally expected.
Harper’s famous collision with Dodger Stadium gave him a gash on his chin that required 11 stiches. However, Harper said that the knee injury was a result of a collision he had with the wall in Turner Field earlier last month and has been bothering him ever since.
Harper also reinjured the knee sliding into third base and fouling a ball off the knee in the same game. It was the last straw for manager Davey Johnson, as he moved the young star to the DL just a couple days later.
However, the most concerning aspect about the injury is the recent news that Harper will be visiting Dr. James Andrews on Monday. It is never a good sign when a superstar heads to see the famous surgeon, so fantasy owners all over the country will be holding their collective breathe. If Harper does have some sort of surgical procedure, it could signify the end of his fantasy season.
It is a real shame, because Harper was demolishing his numbers from last season. He already bashed 12 home runs in 44 games and was on pace to easily hit over 30 home runs. He also had a .287 batting average and a ridiculous .386 On Base Percentage. He wasn’t just hitting long balls, he was doing it all for fantasy owners, so the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the 20-year-old.
Harper’s stint on the DL is still unclear though. He could be out a couple weeks, or he could require season-ending surgery. Either way, this story will capture the attention of plenty of nervous fantasy owners for the remainder of the month.
If you have Harper on your fantasy roster, just cross your fingers he doesn’t need to get cut.
Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.
