Felix Hernandez had to leave the jumping training game of his Seattle Mariners against the Chicago Cubs (9:9 tie) injured in the second inning prematurely. The pitching ace was hit by a line drive.
In the second inning of the game at Sloan Park in Mesa/Arizona, Cubs catcher Victor Caratini struck a line drive that hit Hernandez on the right forearm. The pitcher immediately held his arm and was visibly in pain.
Supervisors came directly to the pitch and then led Hernandez off the field. It went straight to x-rays, but they didn’t fracture. He will be examined again on Tuesday.
In the previous year “King Felix” missed a lot of time with a shoulder injury and never found its right shape. He came across a 4.12 ERA with only 118 innings.
Caratini is now considered a repeat offender, as last May Caratini hit cardinal pitcher Daniel Poncedeleon in a triple A game with a line drive on the head. Poncedeleon then needed emergency surgery to take pressure off his brain. Afterwards he spent several weeks in the intensive care unit.
The pitcher did not return to the Mound until last Sunday and completed two innings for St. Stephen. Louis versus Houston.
This article was published without prior view by the Major League Baseball.