Bryce Harper sat out the Phillies’ win against the Braves but is expected to be available Monday

Bryce Harper sat out the Phillies’ first win of the season Sunday, one day after flipping into the first-base camera well in pursuit of a foul pop.

A reason to flip out?

Not according to Harper, who is in line to be available to play Monday night, weather permitting, in the series opener against the Reds at Citizens Bank Park, manager Rob Thomson said.

”I feel fine,” Harper said. “Definitely looking forward to getting back in there [Monday].”

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Thomson said before the Phillies’ 5-4 victory that Harper was getting a “scheduled day off” against the Braves, who had lefty Chris Sale on the mound. Although the Phillies lost the season’s first two games — by a 21-7 margin — and rain is in the forecast early in the week, the plan was to give Harper a breather because he didn’t play much late in spring training due to a stiff lower back.

After the game, Thomson said that Harper was unavailable to pinch hit and was “a little bit sore, that’s all.”

“Just from the tumble,” Thomson said. “He’s going to be fine [Monday].”

Harper missed nearly a week in spring training after his back acted up, then started two of the last three Grapefruit League games at first base. He played nine innings for the first time on opening day, then came out in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 12-4 loss.

“Coming out of spring training, I didn’t get the reps that I needed,” Harper said. “What happened [Saturday], I don’t think it had any bearing on [Sunday].”

Harper’s tumble over the railing in front of the camera well left several teammates saying they initially feared he was more seriously injured. Harper emerged with only a scrape on his left index finger.

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Asked if the Phillies need to raise the railing, Harper said he suspected they will.

“I knew the railing was there. It just kind of happened,” he said. “I think the netting kind of played a part in that. I don’t think the [height] of the railing played too much of a part. I’d imagine they’ll probably raise it, though.”

In addition to managing Harper’s workload early in the season, Thomson noted that the Phillies were facing Sale, a notoriously tough matchup for left-handed hitters. (Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh also weren’t in the lineup.)

As a career-long National League player, Harper has barely squared off with Sale, an American Leaguer until getting traded to the Braves in the offseason. They faced each other for the first time last May 5 — Harper’s third game back from Tommy John elbow surgery — with Harper going 1-for-3 with one strikeout in a 5-3 loss to the Red Sox.

“We’re trying to take care of him,” said Thomson, noting that the Phillies have two days off in April. “And with the lefty matchup, we can get other guys in just to protect him.”

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The Phillies put righty reliever Luis Ortiz on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle and recalled right-hander Nick Nelson from triple A.

Ortiz made the team as a long reliever after a solid spring training. In the fifth inning Saturday, his first appearance of the season, he leaped for a double-play ball, landed awkwardly, and exited after coming back out to start the next inning.

Nelson was a fixture in the Phillies’ 2022 bullpen but spent most of last season as a starter in triple A. He’s returning to a relief role this year.

Trea Turner extended his regular-season stolen-base streak to 36 dating to Sept. 6, 2022. It’s the longest run (no pun intended) of success since Coco Crisp stole 36 in row in 2011-12. ... The Phillies notched their first victory in March since 2019. ... Orion Kerkering, slowed in spring training by the flu and placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right forearm, allowed one hit and struck out one batter in one inning of work on Saturday in triple A. He’s expected to continue his minor-league assignment Tuesday, with the Phillies hopeful that he will be ready to join the roster when he’s eligible on April 9. ... Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez is scheduled to make his first start of the season at 6:40 p.m. Monday against Reds lefty Andrew Abbott.

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