Tampa Bay pitcher Alex Cobb was struck in the head by a line drive and departed the Rays’ game against Kansas City on a stretcher.
With no outs in the top of the fifth inning, Cobb threw a 2-1 fastball to Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer.
Hosmer smacked the pitch back up the middle, catching Cobb squarely on the right side of his head.
Cobb immediately clutched his head and fell to the ground, where he remained for several minutes as medical personnel attended him.
The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and walked three over 4 1/3 innings.
The Rays said Cobb remained conscious and was taken to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a mild concussion and a cut ear.
Cobb’s concerned teammates held on for a 5-3 victory.
“Obviously, it was an awful moment,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “The ball just hit him. We had no idea where the ball hit him. We just knew it was in the head.”
As Cobb crumpled to the ground, the ball shot toward catcher Jose Lobaton, who threw Hosmer out at first.
“It was a really tough moment for everybody,” Lobaton said.
Hosmer was one of several players who went to the hospital after the game.
“I’m not going to lie to you,” Hosmer said, “I was not focused on the game at all (after the injury). I’m just thinking of how he’s doing.”
This was the second time this year a pitcher has been hit in the head by a drive off a bat at Tropicana Field.
Toronto Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ was struck in the head with a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay’s Desmond Jennings on May 7.
Happ was diagnosed with a small fracture in a skull bone behind his ear and required stitches but the more serious injury was to his knee.
Weeks after the incident Happ remained on the disabled list with sprained ligaments in his right knee sustained when he crashed to the ground.
Rays hurler Cobb takes line drive to head
