Voit will get hit in face by pitch, scores, then leaves

NEW YORK — Yankees slugger Luke Voit left the workforce’s recreation towards the Colorado Rockies on Saturday after being hit within the face by a pitch.

A 91.four mph pitch from Chad Bettis clipped Voit’s chin within the backside of the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. The ball ricocheted ever so barely off Voit’s left shoulder a break up second earlier than glancing off the decrease a part of his face.

Initially, he remained within the recreation.

“[That] would not shock me. I do not suppose it surprises you guys, both,” Yankees catcher Austin Romine instructed reporters after the Yankees’ 11-5 win. “If you understand Luke, you understand he’ll play the sport. The man’s like a bull on the market.”

Evaluated by Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone and head athletic coach Steve Donohue as he was taking his base, Voit pleaded sufficient of a case to remain within the recreation. He ultimately went first to 3rd after which scored on a Gleyber Torres single to present the Yankees a 9-Zero lead.

By the following half-inning, with the sport so seemingly firmly in hand on a day when space warmth indexes reached 107 levels, Voit was lifted.

“Clearly, that is scary proper there, however it felt like he was even fairly good earlier than we took him out,” Boone mentioned. “Then going by means of the exams, he was effective, and chatting with him proper after, really feel like he must be OK.”

Following his elimination, Voit handed a concussion protocol take a look at. The Yankees introduced throughout the recreation that he had no additional exams scheduled. It is attainable he is again of their lineup for Sunday’s sequence finale.

“Simply glad that it isn’t worse,” mentioned infielder DJ LeMahieu, who moved from third base to exchange Voit at first. “It might have been actual dangerous. It nonetheless clipped him fairly good, however fortunately it isn’t — it might’ve been loads worse.”

In keeping with Boone, Voit was left with solely a lower on his lip.

Voit was unavailable for remark. He had already left the ballpark by the point media was allowed into the Yankees’ clubhouse.

4 innings after Voit’s scary second, the Yankees had one other within the eighth, when Romine was buzzed with back-to-back 99 mph pitches from Rockies reliever Jairo Diaz. The primary rode onerous inside on Romine’s fingers and received to them earlier than he might absolutely get his bat out of the way in which. He ended up fouling the pitch off the knob of the bat. The very subsequent pitch, one other high-velocity fastball got here roaring close to his head, inflicting him to get out of the way in which, and bringing angered, chattering Yankees as much as the highest step of their dugout.

“We did not prefer it,” Boone mentioned.

Luke Voit ultimately left the Yankees’ recreation on Saturday after being hit within the face by a pitch. Frank Franklin II/AP

A number of Yankees slapped their fingers towards the padded rail of the dugout as they voiced displeasure to Diaz for throwing consecutive pitches at their catcher. Pitcher CC Sabathia gave the impression to be among the many most vocal.

Final September, Sabathia notoriously plunked Tampa Bay Rays catcher Jesus Sucre after Romine was thrown behind in a earlier plate look. Sabathia was ejected and served a five-game suspension at the beginning of this season due to the ejection.

“No, I do not suppose there was intent,” Boone mentioned about Diaz’s two errant throws. “However generally intent would not matter. Throw the ball over the plate.”

The sight of two pitches going excessive and tight on Romine had some within the Yankees’ dugout pondering instantly about Voit, who has been hit a team-high seven instances this season.

“After Lukie received hit after which Ro nearly received hit twice, it is a lengthy, sizzling day,” LeMahieu mentioned. “And clearly, we do not wish to see that. That’ll get a response a number of instances.”

Romine, who completed the at-bat by putting out, mentioned he could not let himself take into consideration the pitch that had beforehand struck Voit in that state of affairs.

“You may’t take into consideration that stuff. Each time you get within the field, it is harmful,” Romine mentioned. “Individuals are throwing a rock at you at 100 mph. So if that is going by means of your thoughts and you are not specializing in hitting, then you definately’re already out.

“You sort of simply need to discover a approach to purge it out of your mind, dig in there and try to get successful.”