The Los Angeles Angels’ ugly week continued with a scary spectacle on Saturday against the New York Mets.
Angels rookie Chase Silseth walked out of the game in the fourth inning with an apparent head injury after a throw by first baseman Trey Cabbage to third base hit him directly in the back of the head. The ball bounced toward the third base dugout and allowed Francisco Lindor to score after a Mets first base error forced him to break out to third.
Silseth took several steps after the impact before falling to the ground. He didn’t appear to have lost consciousness, but he was in obvious pain as his teammates and Angels coaches were checking on him.
Silseth came out of the game with three hits, two walks, two hits and two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of work.
Angels reporter Erica Weston reported After the game, which the Angels won 5-3, Silseth was taken to the hospital for testing, but he was alert and talkative, even cracking a joke about correct base coverage.
The 23-year-old Silseth was the Angels’ 11th-round pick from Arizona in the 2021 MLB draft. He moved quickly through the minors, making his MLB debut last season while posting a 2.28 ERA in 83 innings with Double-A Rocket City.
Silseth, who retains rookie eligibility after 2022, entered Saturday’s start with a career 5.01 ERA, 1.398 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings pitched. He has started in 13 of 21 MLB games.
A brutal injury to a rookie will keep the theme of Angels week, which has already seen Shuhei Ohtani tear up the Champions League and return Mike Trout to the injured list. The team’s record was 62-67 going into Saturday, a complete 10 games out of the third and final wild card spot.
