Harper MRI is "clean," plus other injury updates

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said right fielder Bryce Harper is still listed as "day-to-day" with neck spasms. Harper has not played since last Saturday's game against the Giants. Baker did confirm that Harper could have pinch-hit last night if he was needed.

"He's been analyzed by our people and it is what it is," Baker said. "I've heard all kinds of reports. I think it's kind of careless reporting when you're reporting something that's not even true. It's not his arm. If it was, I would have told you by now. It is indeed he has a spasm in his neck."

President of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo also addressed Harper's status for tonight's game and going forward. They did get some positive medical news on his sore neck today.

"Bryce is day-to-day," Rizzo said. "We haven't discussed disabled list about him today. He did have an MRI today, and it was clean, so that's good news. He feels good about it ... I just got done talking with him. He's got a stiff neck. That's ... five or six days. Hopefully, that's behind us now, and as he feels better, Dusty and Harp will let us know if he can be used tonight."

Why wouldn't you just put him on the disabled list since he hasn't played since last Saturday?

"Because if he can play tonight, I want him to play tonight," Rizzo said. "If he can play tomorrow, I want him to play tomorrow. He'd be seven days if he gets back today, which would mean we would lose him for (eight more days if placed on the disabled list)."

The Nationals will need to make a decision by Sunday because the team begins a long road trip on Monday in Denver. Baker is feeling the pressure of playing with only 24 players for a full week.

"I'm hoping that this will go pretty soon because you don't want to be without him," Baker said. "You don't want to be short. You don't want to use him in a game in case you might have to have the worst scenario where you have to put him on the DL and backdate the time. Because right now, he's been out five games. If I use him and something did go wrong or adversely, then it would start tonight or tomorrow. We're doing all we can and he's doing all he can to try to alleviate this problem."

There were positive updates on first baseman Ryan Zimmerman (left wrist contusion, Aug. 1) and catcher Jose Lobaton (left elbow tendinitis, July 20). Baker said both have been able to hit and could be close to rehab assignments.

"I think that Zimmerman and Lobaton are supposed to hit today," Baker said. "On the positive side, if good things come out of that today, then they might go out as early as tomorrow or Monday to go play. They would then hopefully join us sometime next week."

Rizzo said they are continuing to monitor the progress of the pair.

"They're going to be with us today and tomorrow, and we'll evaluate when we want them to go on a rehab assignment at that time," Rizzo said. "Come back tomorrow, and when we work them out tomorrow, see how they perform."

Rizzo also had an update on the progress for right-hander Joe Ross (right shoulder inflammation, July 3).

"The plan is he played catch today, which is good," Rizzo said. "Long toss, which is a step in the right direction, and we're going to slowly get into a return-to-throw program, ready to see where he's at as far as when we could activate him to pitch for us."