Nationals manager plans to speak with Harper about not running hard

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez plans to speak with his star player Bryce Harper about not running out a ground ball against the New York Mets on Friday.

With two on and one out in the fifth inning, Harper jogged to first after his hard liner to short wound up as an inning-ending double play in an eventual 4-2 loss to the Mets.

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)

"He didn't run that ball out the way I wanted to," Martinez said, according to MLB.com's Joe Trezza. "That's a conversation Bryce and I will have tomorrow."

Harper's jog to first wasn't related to injury and appeared to stem from frustration, according to Martinez, who isn't upset with the 2015 NL MVP.

"I got no beef with Bryce. Bryce comes every day to play," Martinez explained. "I think it was out of frustration. He hit the ball hard. He crushed the ball. And it was going to be a double play."

Even though Harper has produced an .840 OPS with 23 homers in the first half, the 25-year-old has faced criticism for hitting just .213 in what could be his final season with the Nationals.