BOSTON — Patriots Day, which coincides with the Boston Marathon, is usually one of the crucial festive events of the yr at Fenway Park.
On a glowing and unseasonably heat day, that was once more the case on Monday till a short hush came to visit the ballpark when two of an important gamers on the Purple Sox crashed into one another in pursuit of a pop fly in brief left subject.
Tyler O’Neill charged in to make the catch. Rafael Devers drifted again and did seize the popup for the ultimate out of the highest of the seventh inning in Boston’s eventual 6-0 loss to the Guardians.
The again of Devers’ head rammed into O’Neill’s brow, and each gamers stayed on the bottom for a bit to collect themselves.
O’Neill, who was bloodied, received the worst of it, exiting the sport and getting eight stitches. He was in concussion protocol when the sport ended, leaving his standing within the upcoming days up within the air.
It seems Devers, who simply returned Monday from a three-game absence as a consequence of a nagging left shoulder, escaped harm. He stayed within the sport and the Purple Sox will proceed to watch him.
“T.O. has an enormous gash right here, eight stitches so we’ll see what occurs subsequent,” mentioned Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora. “He is going by concussion protocol. Hopefully every little thing’s wonderful. Raffy, similar deal, simply received hit laborious. He says he feels good. Feels good. So we’ll wait and see.”
Whereas it appears just like the Purple Sox will keep away from one other main harm in a season by which they’ve already had their share, the play was unsettling for the membership in actual time.
“As any ballplayer on the sector, I believe that’s the worst play in baseball,” mentioned righty Kutter Crawford. “You’ve received the infielder working again on a blooper and also you’ve received the outfielder working in laborious on the blooper. It is powerful to look at. You do not wish to see two of your teammates lay on the bottom. It’s powerful to look at and it’s simply one of many worst performs that may occur in baseball.”
It’s simple for an off-the-cuff observer to marvel why there wasn’t higher communication on the play. However on a day a crowd of 33,008 packed Fenway, it might have been a case of the gamers not having the ability to hear one another.
“They known as it on the similar time, in all probability,” mentioned Cora. “On this sport, we discuss communication and all that. However with [33,008] individuals in there, it’s laborious. Two guys making an attempt to make performs they usually run into one another.”
Usually, the outfielder has precedence on a play like that, however it’s potential Devers didn’t know the speedy O’Neill was that shut.
Shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela was additionally in pursuit of the ball, however fortuitously didn’t get shut sufficient to run into his teammates.
“I didn’t actually have a view, however I believe each known as it on the similar time,” Rafaela mentioned.
The Purple Sox hope this collision was only a scare.
“Scary, yeah, you mentioned it proper,” mentioned Cora. “However after I received there, Raffy was OK, I noticed the blood. However hopefully each of them are OK, Raffy [for Tuesday and] we’ll see about T.O.”
Extra of AbreuCora made it clear on Monday that left-handed hitter Wilyer Abreu goes to begin getting extra enjoying time, beginning in opposition to all righties. And early within the contest, Abreu made his presence felt with an incredible catch in opposition to the wall in proper to rob José Ramirez of additional bases. The ball was struck so nicely that it will have been a homer in 20 of MLB’s 30 ballparks.
The elevated presence of Abreu signifies that Rafaela, who has been sensible in middle subject, goes to see extra time at brief in opposition to righties. Rafaela made all of the performs in his first begin of the season at brief in Monday’s loss.
“Wily has to play,” mentioned Cora. “That is the best way we’re going to seek out at-bats for him. He’ll play daily. We’ll transfer individuals round however he’ll play in opposition to righties. This isn’t concerning the shortstop factor. That is about Abreu getting at-bats.”
