Atlanta Braves outfielder Jason Heyward was hit in the head by a pitch during a game against the New York Mets on Wednesday afternoon. A fastball got away from Mets pitcher Jon Niese in the sixth inning, and it appeared to catch a piece of Heyward’s helmet before hitting him in jaw area.
Heyward was bleeding from the mouth before he being pulled from the game. Fortunately, he was able to walk off under his own power. He grabbed his face and immediately went to the ground after being hit.
Had Heyward not managed to turn away at the last second, the damage could have been much worse. Seeing a batter get hit in the head with a pitch is one of the most frightening things in sports, and it never gets any easier to watch. Here’s hoping Heyward has a speedy recovery and was able to avoid significant injury. Here’s another look at the play in full speed:
GIFs via The Score
