Harrison Bader‘s Status Uncertain After groin Tightness

Philadelphia – Harrison Bader has been a sparkplug both on and off the field since arriving in Philadelphia just a little more than two months ago.

Now, his status for the remainder of the National League Division Series is suddenly up in the air.

Bader departed the Phillies’ 5-3 loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park due to groin tightness.He’ll undergo imaging on sunday morning — an off-day ahead of Game 2 on Monday — to help determine the severity of the injury.

“I definitely feel like I’ll be able to come back, for sure,” Bader said when asked if he believes he’ll play again in the NLDS. “We have an off-day tomorrow, we’ll just get some imaging done and go from there.”

Bader first felt the issue while running from first to second on Bryson Stott’s single in the bottom of the fifth inning. He had previously driven in a run on a sacrifice fly to the warning track in left field in the second inning and made a breathtaking diving catch to rob Andy Pages of a hit in the top of the fifth.

Bader remained in the game to play defense in the sixth and seventh innings, but he was lifted for pinch-hitter Nick castellanos in the bottom of the seventh.

“it just felt a little weird. I don’t know, really, what to attribute it to,” Bader said. “I made a full-speed diving catch in center and obviously felt good all day swinging and everything — took some pretty intense swings up there prior to that. I just think random things happen, unluckily.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said he didn’t see bader favor the leg when he was on the field, but acknowledged that the outfielder was likely playing through some discomfort.