Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper is set to visit Dr. James Andrews Monday to get a second opinion on his knee, as the swelling and inflammation haven't improved.
As a result, Harper is unlikely to come off the disabled list June 11, when he is first eligible, according to Nationals manager Davey Johnson.
"He's probably not going to be available to come off when he's supposed to come off," manager Davey Johnson told the Washington Times Thursday. "We haven’t been real successful with our treatment here. He constantly gets treatment here, but we've got to get that inflammation out of there."
Harper has tried to run in a pool, and even that low-impact workout caused the swelling to worsen, prompting the decision for a second opinion.
The initial diagnosis is that Harper has no structural damage in his knee, just a swollen bursa sac. The team continues to maintain that a surgical repair would be a "last resort," and Harper has said that he will not consider a cortisone shot in the knee.
"I don't want to put any of that stuff in my knee, in my body," Harper said. "I think that that would do some damage to my knee and I’m not going to do that at 20 years old."