MLB rookie taken out on stretcher after brutal play at the plate
MLB may have outlawed the act of blocking the plate by a catcher, but that doesn’t mean that all players are free of risk when it comes to bang-bang plays at home plate.
In Wednesday’s game between the Angels and Red Sox, it was a pitcher who suffered an injury at home plate, but it was due to a freak injury instead of a collision.
Rookie Jake Jewell of the Angels was making just his third MLB appearance after making his debut two weeks ago.
He entered the game in the eighth inning, but unfortunately would leave the game on a stretcher after a nasty ankle injury.
Jake Jewell Injury Video 📹 Credit: MLB & FoxSportsWest#TheHaloWay #LetsGoAngels pic.twitter.com/Fd1GBjsmwz
— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) June 28, 2018
With J.D. Martinez on third base, Jewell threw a wild pitch that forced catcher Martin Maldonado to chase after the ball. That left a clear lane for Martinez to sprint toward home plate while Jewell also ran home to cover the plate.
Maldonado made the throw back to Jewell, who arrived at home at the same time that Martinez did. But Jewell either slipped or purposely slid in order to try to tag the sliding Martinez, and his right leg awkwardly got caught under him, causing his ankle to bend in a way it shouldn’t bend.
Jewell would have to be carted off the field. To add insult to injury, Martinez did score via his wild pitch.
That would be the last run of the game as the Red Sox won 9-6. Afterward, manager Mike Scioscia gave an update on Jewell.
“He’s getting evaluated, I think, at Massachusetts General,” Scioscia said. “Hopefully we’ll get an idea of what’s happening sometime tonight.”
There was no update on the severity of the injury Wednesday night, but Jewell thanked fans for their prayers Thursday morning.
https://twitter.com/JakeJewell21/status/1012333252458278919
Jewell has been in the Angels organization since being drafted in the fifth round in 2014. He had a 3.08 ERA in the minors in 2018 prior to being promoted.
The timing of his injury is very similar to that of former Yankee and current Athletic Dustin Fowler.
Fowler made his MLB debut on June 29, 2017, with New York but didn’t even make it to the second inning due to a freak knee injury. Fowler crashed into a wall after trying to nab a foul ball and ended up with a ruptured patellar tendon.
The Dustin Fowler injury pic.twitter.com/qSRgNBrIUH
— bird hating account (@atf13atf) June 30, 2017
Fowler’s MLB debut ended after just two outs and his season ended as well. He was traded to Oakland in 2017 but did recover and recorded his first hit on May 11 this year. The hit came off Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray, who is the player Fowler was traded for last year.
The Jewell injury was also reminiscent of an injury suffered by another young Angels pitcher against the Red Sox in 2014. Garrett Richards missed the rest of the season after he injured his knee covering first base at Fenway.
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