The San Diego Padres shared a positive update on first baseman Luis Arraez following a scary incident during Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros.
Arraez violently crashed into Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon in an attempt to beat out a drag bunt in the first inning at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. Arraez’s head slammed into Dubon’s shoulder, leaving the Padres hitter dazed on the ground. Arraez had to be taken out on a stretcher (video here).
Speaking to reporters after San Diego’s 3-2 win, Padres manager Mike Shildt shared that there was a time when Arraez “wasn’t aware of where he was” before his condition stabilized. Shildt added that Arraez seems to have avoided a much more serious injury.
“Best-case scenario with Luis,” Shildt said, via The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and Dennis Lin. “Obviously, very scary. We think he’s for the most part out of the woods. More time will tell, but the initial testing is very favorable. … Everything is coming back to him now, and his initial testing from a concussion standpoint was favorable … All things considered, that’s a blessing.”
Arraez suffered a laceration on his jawline but was able to avoid any facial fractures. Shildt expressed concern about Arraez’s cervical spine area, which will undergo further testing.
One major development was that Arraez was able to return to the Padres’ clubhouse before the end of Sunday’s game.
Arraez is arguably the best contact hitter in the majors. The 28-year-old has won three consecutive batting titles, becoming the first in MLB history to do so while playing for three different teams. He has a .287 batting average through 22 games this season.
