The new could have definitely been a lot worst for the Washington Nationals and All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper. 

The team announced Sunday morning that Harper suffered a bone bruise to his knee after falling awkwardly in the first inning of Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants. 

At first glance, it surely appeared that Harper suffered a much more serious injury. He was seen in pain on the turf, holding his knee. Immediate concerns were that Harper had suffered structural damage, including a potential torn ACL. That's obviously no longer the case. 

With a 14.5-game lead in the NL West and in firm position to be the second seed come playoff time, the Nationals can play it close to the vest with Harper here moving forward. Don't expect to see him on the field over the short-term. 

But Harper should be back for the tail-end of the regular season and the playoffs. 

An MVP candidate, Harper entered this weekend's action with a 327 average to go with 29 homers, 87 RBI, 57 extra-base hits and a robust .420 OBP.