Phillies’ Bryce Harper’s ankle is fine, and he’s working to find rhythm at plate

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Bryce Harper ran Sunday morning on the backfields of the Phillies’ spring-training complex, trying to see if his right ankle would trouble him, three hours before the first pitch of a 7-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Yankees.

He fielded ground balls. He sprinted through the outfield. He took some batting-practice swings. The ankle, which was smacked Friday by a 96 mph fastball, felt fine. Harper, a day after being listed day-to-day, was good to go.

“It felt good. It’s shocking,” Harper said. “I can’t believe I came in [Saturday] and had not really any swelling or bruising. Glad I kept it out of there and felt better today. I was glad I was able to get out there and felt pretty normal.”

Harper had four plate appearances Sunday and went 0-for-3 with a walk. Manager Gabe Kapler said Harper will be ready for opening day on March 28. Harper is hitless in his first eight at-bats and has had 14 plate appearances over five spring-training games. He will play in a minor-league game on Monday afternoon and then work out Tuesday at the complex before playing in right field Wednesday against the Tigers.

“The goal is definitely to get a couple knocks. I don’t want to leave spring without a hit. But if that happens, then March 28, here we come,” Harper said. “Timing is definitely a little behind right now. A little late on some of the pitches. Just trying to get that the best I can. Just trying to play as many in a row so the timing can get there. It’s going to be a process.”

Harper’s at-bats this spring have come against difficult pitching. Sunday matched him up with Yankees left-hander James Paxton and right-hander Dellin Betances. He faced the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka last week, and reigning American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell in his second game of spring. He did not face live pitching all winter and this was not an easy introduction.

“He’s right where he needs to be,” Kapler said. “I think he’s in the ideal spot. This is practice. These are reps. They’re work. He’s seeing pitches, working some deeper counts.”

Jerad Eickhoff struck out five batters in three scoreless innings as he made his first start of spring training. The right-hander, who dealt with carpal tunnel syndrome last season, said he felt fine. He will likely start the season in the rotation at triple-A Lehigh Valley and will join Drew Anderson as the first options to join the Phillies if a need arises.

Said Eickhoff: "It’s huge to not have the questions marks around me every day coming in, like, ‘Am I going to have some numbness again? Am I going to have this?' To be able to put this in the rearview mirror again, it’s a pretty big relief to be able to just pitch and execute.”

Relief pitcher Tommy Hunter is still limited to playing catch and seems likely to start the season on the injured list with a flexor strain in his right arm. Gabe Kapler declined to set a timetable for his return. ... The Phillies left Sunday night for Florida’s east coast. They will play the Cardinals on Monday in Jupiter and the Astros on Tuesday in West Palm Beach. Zach Eflin will face the Cardinals and Drew Anderson will face the Astros.