A very scary moment in St. Louis on Friday night, as Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Robbie Ray was hit in the head by a 108-mph comeback line drive off the bat of the Cardinals’ Luke Voit:
Ray immediately went to the ground after being hit, and he was eventually taken off the field in a cart, though he was able to sit up.
Pitchers are in a very vulnerable position, and MLB has tried out helmets for pitchers, but for now, they look goofy, so few players wear them. The issue started gaining more attention after Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ was hit in the head by a hit that fractured his skull.
Ray has been tremendous for the Diamondbacks this season, with a 3.11 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings pitched. With Zack Greinke likely to start in the NL Wild Card game (assuming the Diamondbacks make it, of course), Ray was surely planned to be Arizona’s NLDS Game 1 starter vs Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.