Ouch …
During Monday’s Red Sox Patriot Day (and overall Jackie Robinson Day in MLB) game, Boston‘s right fielder Tyler O’Neill and third baseman Rafael Devers got into a nasty collision in the outfield that left both players laid out. They each took a brutal knock, but it appears that O’Neill suffered the worst of it. (RELATED: ‘It’s Just Brutal’: Red Sox’s Kenley Jansen Takes Jab At MLB Over ‘Embarrassing’ Slick Baseballs)
Cleveland Guardians center fielder Estevan Florial knocked a pop-up during seventh-inning action, which sent both O’Neill and Devers running toward the ball to get the out. But the problem was, with O’Neill sprinting from the outfield and Devers backpedaling from third base, neither one saw (or heard) the other coming. And as a result, it ended up being a blow for both … and straight to the head.
Very bad outfield collision for the Red Sox, Tyler O’Neill appears to have gotten the worst of it pic.twitter.com/pnYdc2w6aF
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 15, 2024
A slow, zoomed-in replay shows the heads of O’Neill and Devers boppin’ into each other.
Injury delay as Tyler O’Neill and Rafael Devers collide. pic.twitter.com/xHnrzb71g8
— Baseball GIFs (@gifs_baseball) April 15, 2024
O’Neill ended up leaving the game a bloody mess.
Tyler O’Neill left today’s game early after a collision on defense.
He received 8 stitches and is in concussion protocol, per @SmittyOnMLB pic.twitter.com/bFWMn5z9og
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) April 15, 2024
Getting hit in the head not only hurts, but it truly is one of the most uncomfortable feelings in the world … much love to these guys, because good Lord, that was rough.