Not that he didn't probably prove it during his sprint around the bases yesterday to score the winning run at Fenway Park, but if you needed any confirmation of Bryce Harper's back being A-OK, here it is: He's back in the Nationals' starting lineup tonight in Toronto.
Harper will bat second and man right field, with Roger Bernadina back in center field for the second straight day. Davey Johnson said he wants to get Bernadina some more playing time, certainly after he delivered the game-winning double yesterday in Boston. The highly athletic outfielder does have six hits over his last 11 at-bats and has reached base 10 times in his last 16 plate appearances.
Edwin Jackson gets the assignment for the Nationals, facing a Blue Jays lineup that features a whole lotta thunder out of the Nos. 3 and 4 holes; Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion have each clubbed 17 homers already this season...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Where: Rogers Centre
Gametime: 7:07 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 178
Weather: Indoors
NATIONALS (35-23)
LF Steve Lombardozzi
RF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
DH Michael Morse
SS Ian Desmond
2B Danny Espinosa
CF Roger Bernadina
C Jesus Flores
(RHP Edwin Jackson)
BLUE JAYS (31-29)
3B Brett Lawrie
CF Colby Rasmus
RF Jose Bautista
DH Edwin Encarnacion
2B Kelly Johnson
SS Yunel Escobar
1B David Cooper
C J.P. Arencibia
LF Rajai Davis
(RHP Brandon Morrow)