Bryce Harper in Nationals’ lineup after injury scare early in series opener with Cardinals...

Washington lost Trea Turner to a fractured right wrist on Thursday afternoon, and then last night, early in the Nationals’ series opener in St. Louis, Bryce Harper fell down once he passed first base running out a ground ball after the Cardinals got a force at second base.

Our immediate reaction was to think back to the end of Thursday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs, when Harper seemed to tweak something in right field when he went to throw a ball back in during the Cubs’ late-game rally.

Nothing significant happened in that instance and luckily for the Nationals, nothing of significance happened last night.

Reviews of the play showed that Harper got hit in the foot on an errant throw to first on the play.

Dusty Baker confirmed as much when he spoke to reporters after the Nationals’ 8-1 loss to the Cards.

“Bryce got hit on that bone on the ankle on the overthrow,” Baker explained, “... then it sort of numbs your lower leg and ankle, but the more he played on it, and then the better he was, so I think he’s okay.”

Harper stayed in the game, going 0 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored on the night, but Baker admitted that like every Nats fan out there, his initial reaction was to worry something else bad had just happened.

“Oh, man, I didn’t know what it was,” Baker said. “And you know, we were tempted to take him out but it seemed like after a few moments, the feeling came back and we certainly don’t need to sustain any more injuries, especially to our top players.”

Harper declined to speak to reporters after the game, though he passed on word that he was fine:

Harper’s back in the lineup tonight, so you can officially stop worrying that there may have been a lingering problem. Or maybe wait until you see him hustle after a fly ball, take second on a double, or run out a groundout first.