Mets' Kevin Pillar has multiple nasal fractures after taking 94 mph fastball to the face vs. Braves
New York Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar is dealing with multiple nasal fractures after he took a pitch to the face in their 3-1 win against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
#Mets announce that Kevin Pillar suffered multiple nasal fractures after being hit in the face with a pitch last night. He will be meeting with a facial specialist in Atlanta to determine the next steps.
— David Lennon (@DPLennon) May 18, 2021
Pillar, in the top of the seventh inning, went down after Braves pitcher Jacob Webb's 94 mph fastball got away from him.
Pillar fell to the ground instantly and grabbed his face, clearly in pain. A significant amount of blood could be seen dripping down into the dirt.
Kevin Pillar got hit in the face by a Jacob Webb fastball.
Amazingly, he walked off under his own power.
Still, a frightening scene nonetheless. pic.twitter.com/6kPINtKIYn— Ryan Field (@RyanFieldABC) May 18, 2021
Pillar eventually got up and walked off the field on his own. He was taken to a local hospital to undergo a CT scan, manager Luis Rojas said after the game.
“This guy is a warrior,” Rojas said, via News12’s Kevin Maher. “He shows up every day to play hard. You guys saw him, he got up on his feet and he left. There’s no chance I thought he’d be able to do that after I saw the ball hit him in the face. He got up and he left, that’s at least one positive to see.”
Here's #Mets manager Luis Rojas on Kevin #Pillar who was hit in the face by fastball tonight. Pillar was taken to the hospital for a CT scan. @N12jamiestuart @KevinVesey @RichBarrabi @News12LI pic.twitter.com/AGlBNgH0U4
— Kevin Maher (@KMaherNews12) May 18, 2021
Pillar tweeted an update after the game saying that he was "doing fine."
Thanks to everyone that has reached out! Scary moment but I’m doing fine! #RBI #gamewinner 👍🏽👍🏽
— Kevin Pillar (@KPILLAR4) May 18, 2021
Webb, who was clearly shaken up, was replaced after that pitch by Sean Newcomb.
Pillar is in his first season with the Mets after spending time with both the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies last year. The 32-year-old has 19 hits and two home runs in 77 at bats so far this season.
The Mets, after scoring two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth after a Johneshwy Fargas double, beat the Braves 3-1.
Braves manager Brian Snitker talks about Kevin Pillar's hit-by-pitch
"That's about as sickening as a thing as you can see on a baseball field...this guy is nothing but a pro the way he carries himself, how he plays the game" pic.twitter.com/zyJK0CRbyj— SNY (@SNYtv) May 18, 2021
“I just hope that kid is OK. That was ugly, and everybody keep him in your prayers,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said, via SNY.
“That’s about as sickening a thing as you can see on a baseball field when a kid gets hit like that. I just keep that kid in my prayers and hopefully everything works out OK. This guy is nothing but a pro the way he carries himself, how he plays the game. He’s a gamer, that guy. He’s a true pro.”
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