Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward was hit in the head by a pitch during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, resulting in a potentially serious injury. The incident occurred in the fifth inning when Ward was struck near his left eye by a 91.7 mph sinker from Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah. Ward immediately fell to the ground and was attended to by coaches and medical staff. He was bleeding from his face and remained on the ground for several minutes before being taken off the field on a cart. Ward was able to sit up on the cart under his own power, but his left eye appeared swollen.
The hit-by-pitch brought in the lone run for the Angels in a 6-1 defeat. Ward has been one of the team’s hottest hitters recently, with a batting average of .304 and five home runs in the month of July. His injury is a significant blow to the Angels, who are already dealing with injuries to outfielders Mike Trout and Jo Adell. Trout is expected to be out until at least mid-August after surgery to remove his left hamate bone, while Adell is sidelined until early September with a left oblique strain.
The loss to the Blue Jays was particularly frustrating for the Angels, as it dropped them five games behind Toronto in the race for the American League Wild Card. It also means that the Blue Jays have won the season series, giving them the tiebreaker in any potential playoff race.
The incident appeared to affect the Angels’ momentum, as they struggled to score runs and lost the lead to a two-run home run by the Blue Jays’ Santiago Espinal in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Angels’ offense also struggled with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-7 in those situations in the game.
The focus for the team now shifts to Ward’s health and recovery. Losing him for any length of time will be a significant setback for the Angels, who already have limited outfield depth. The team may turn to prospects like Jordyn Adams or rely on players with limited outfield experience to fill the void left by Ward’s potential absence.
After the game, both Manoah and his teammates expressed their concern for Ward and hoped for a speedy recovery. The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers and risks involved in the game of baseball, with both players and fans hoping for the best possible outcome for Ward.