Blue Jays P Drew Hutchison OK after being hit in head by catcher's throw
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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Drew Hutchison left Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays early after he was hit in the head on catcher A.J. Jimenez’s attempt to catch a runner stealing.
In the fifth inning, Hutchison walked Brad Miller, who took off for second base during the following at-bat by Steven Souza Jr. Though Hutchison crouched down on the mound to get out of the way of Jimenez’s throw, the ball struck him in the back of the head.
Hutchison was removed from the game for precautionary reasons, but walked off the field under his own power.
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“It was just one of those things, weird,” Hutchison said, according to MLB.com. “You just have to laugh at it. I was perfectly fine. [It’s] spring training, any other time I probably would have argued and tried to stay in there. But we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”
Hutchison declined to blame Jimenez for the low throw, instead chastising himself for allowing Miller the opportunity to steal.
“That’s what you get for being dumb and walking the leadoff guy,” Hutchison said. “I thought I was throwing the ball well and unfortunately something weird happened.”
The Blue Jays went on to beat the Rays, 7–3.
- Erin Flynn
