ATLANTA — Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with bursitis in his left knee.
The Nationals tried to give Harper time to heal without using the disabled list. Before Washington’s 2-1 loss to Atlanta on Saturday, manager Davey Johnson said the move became necessary when the team needed help in the bullpen.
Johnson also said the team decided it was necessary to protect Harper’s status for the season.
“You always do what’s best for the player,” Johnson said.
“If the club felt that he would be able to come back in three or four or five days, we wouldn’t have DL’d him.”
Harper has missed the last five games and has been bothered by the knee since he crashed into the wall in a May 13 game at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The move was made Saturday retroactive to May 27.
The Nationals already are without outfielder Jayson Werth, who has been on the disabled list since May 3 with a right hamstring injury. The team is off Monday and Werth could return Tuesday when Washington opens a home series against the Mets.
The 20-year-old star is batting .287 and is tied for fifth in the NL with 12 homers. He has 23 RBIs and two stolen bases.
“I think, in talking to Bryce, we’ve got to get by this where it’s not a recurring thing,” Johnson said. “He’s not going out there playing 80 percent. His legs are just as big a part of his game.”
McCarthy headed to disabled list
CHICAGO — The Arizona Diamondbacks placed right-hander Brandon McCarthy on the disabled list Saturday because he has right shoulder inflammation and recalled Randall Delgado from Triple-A Reno.
McCarthy is 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA in 11 starts this season. In three starts from May 12-24, he went 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA including a career-high 18-inning scoreless streak from May 7-24.
He struggled on Thursday, giving up six runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings.
“We knew going into (his) last game, he wasn’t feeling great,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “He’s had a history, so after his start he wasn’t feeling very good. You ask yourself whether you want to push through, is it going to happen now, is it inevitable? With his history we just thought the best course was to stop it right now.”
