Major League Baseball

Nationals send Harper to Triple-A

Published Mar. 18, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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The Washington Nationals optioned 19-year-old outfielder Bryce Harper to Triple-A Syracuse where he can get experience in center field.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson said after the team's 11-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday that the timing wasn't right for the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft to make the team out of training camp. When Harper is likely called up later this season he could play center field because the team is thin at that position. He played mostly in right this spring.

Jayson Werth, who played a lot of center field in camp, will go back to right field.

Harper was 8 for 28 (.286) in the Grapefruit League, including a 1-for-5 performance Sunday - he struck out in his first four at-bats, then doubled.

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