Those concerned that Bryce Harper, at the fragile age of 20, may already be injury-prone need not worry. He’s already deduced the source of some of his struggles last year, and he’s decided that the way to prevent future pain is to, you know, stop running headlong into walls.
Harper was pretty bloodied up last spring when he smashed into an outfield wall trying to make an out, and the injury lingered throughout the season, adding to the other little pains that pop up for a Major League Baseball player. Harper told the Washington Post this week that he doesn’t see the need for offseason surgery of any kind, saying instead that rest should do the trick.
“It’s more trying to take the time off and let everything settle down,” he said. “Everything is just swollen and things like that. I really don’t see going under the knife or anything like that. … Body-wise, I felt pretty good except for when I did run into the walls. You’re going to have your aches and pains. I think everybody does. That’s just how it is.”
Harper also had high hopes for other offseason activities, saying he’s going to hit the weights again.
“I think going to the offseason, it’s going to be very nice to take that month off and get recovered, then hopefully get my workouts in and get big as a house and go to spring training,” he said.
Harper also said he’s looking forward to not thinking about baseball for a while, to clear his mental fatigue.
