Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill left Monday’s game following a scary collision with a teammate, and it is one that left him needing several stitches.
O’Neill and Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers ran into one another in shallow left field during the seventh inning of their team’s 6-0 loss to the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. Estevan Florial lifted a fly ball to left field that sent Devers and Ceddanne Rafaela sprinting out toward O’Neill. Devers made the catch while backpedaling, and the back of his head slammed into O’Neill’s face.
You can see a couple of different angles of the scary collision here.
O’Neill was bleeding from the head and helped off the field. He did not return. After the game, Cora told reporters that the slugger needed eight stitches.
“T.O., he has a big gash. He got stitches, eight of them, so we’ll see what happens next,” Cora said. “He’s going through the concussion protocol. Hopefully everything’s fine. Raffy, same deal. He just kind of got hit hard, I guess. He says he feels good, so we’ll wait and see. He’ll go through the same thing.”
Alex Cora gives updates on Tyler O'Neill and Rafael Devers, who collided in the 7th inning of the Red Sox 6-0 loss to the Guardians. #RedSox | https://t.co/jyk3EsbxuY pic.twitter.com/3LcjNVWeqJ
— NESN (@NESN) April 15, 2024
The Red Sox acquired O’Neill in an offseason trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. He has been better than anticipated for them. O’Neill’s entered Monday’s game hitting .304 with 7 home runs and 8 RBI in 14 games.
