Injured Bryce Harper: I should have gone on the disabled list a month ago

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper said he has played through pain since colliding with the wall in Atlanta on April 29. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, who was placed on the disabled list on Saturday with bursitis in his left knee, says that he should have gone on the disabled list for multiple injuries more than a month ago.

Harper told reporters that he first began hurting after he crashed into the right-field fence at Turner Field on April 29. The 20-year-old was hitting .356 with a 1.18 OPS before that game and has hit .183 with a .665 OPS in 19 games since.

On May 13, he collided with the wall at Dodger Stadium, which led to knee problems that he aggravated during last week's series against the Phillies.

Harper said that his hand, wrist and side have also been in pain, but that he would play if it were September or October.

From CSNWashington's Mark Zuckerman:

"I think after I hit the wall here, I think I should have went on the DL, just try to get better and came back 15 days later," Harper said, referring to his April 29 encounter with the right-field fence at Turner Field. "With a lot of guys out, I wanted to stay in the lineup the way I was swinging it. Of course, I want to play every day. It's something that, maybe I'll learn more in my career to take off 15 days instead of lose the month or whatever it is."

...

Six days of rest so far haven't done much to alleviate the knee injury, diagnosed by the Nationals as bursitis.

"I feel the same as I did the other day," he said. "It's still swollen and crappy. Just trying to get treatment and see if the swelling will go down."