BOSTON — Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda was hit by a 111 mph line drive in the left ankle and came out of Thursday’s 11-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox after two innings.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said X-rays were negative and that Maeda has a left ankle bruise. There is swelling that will be monitored overnight.
“He got hit squarely,” Baldelli told reporters after the game. “… We were fearful, to be honest, watching him on the ground out there. Lucky to avoid a major injury.”
Maeda stayed on his feet long enough to field the ball and throw Jarren Duran out at first for the third out of the inning. The pitcher then crumpled to the grass, and the Twins training staff rushed out to help him.
“I am not surprised to see him, on one leg” making the play, Baldelli said. “You get nervous when guys are doing that and their leg might be broken. Honestly, I’d prefer he not damage himself trying to do that. But he is highly competitive, and he’s not going to stop playing until that leg stops moving.”
After a few minutes, Maeda, who missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, walked off to the dugout.
“I wasn’t sure if I cracked the bone or not. It just happened so quickly,” Maeda said through an interpreter. “I saw the ball drop right in front of me, and my first instinct was grab the ball, throw the ball, get the out. … You saw me collapse after making that play, so there was excruciating pain there.”
Emilio Pagan came in to start the third with the Twins trailing 1-0 on Alex Verdugo‘s solo homer in the first — the only hit Maeda allowed. Pagan gave up six runs in the inning.
Baldelli said he hadn’t decided what to do with his rotation, but the Twins play 10 more games before their first off day on May 1.
Maeda said he doesn’t expect to be out for an extended absence.
“The decision-making on Kenta will be a logical, medical decision based on how he’s doing,” Baldelli said. “We don’t know those answers today.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
