Tigers’ Al Alburquerque suffers concussion after being hit during batting practice
BALTIMORE — Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque will remain in the hospital overnight as a precaution after being taken from the field in a cart after being a concussion when he was struck on the head by a ball off the bat of an Orioles player taking batting practice during pregame warm-ups before tonight’s 5-4 victory over the Orioles.
The beaning left Alburquerque writhing on the ground in pain, and onlookers — including his teammates — fearing he had been hurt seriously.
But Tigers manager Jim Leyland said that it appeared that he would be OK, and he was thankful for that after learning that Alburquerque suffered light internal bleeding from being struck in the left temple.
Leyland said he was afraid as he approached Alburquerque with players looking on in disbelief.
“It wasn’t pretty,” Leyland said. “There wasn’t any glancing blow about it.
“He got smoked bad, and certainly it was a concern for all the players out there.”
The Tigers placed the righty on the 7-day concussion disabled list and recalled Ryan Perry from Triple-A Toledo to take his roster spot.
Alburquerque was taken to University of Maryland Medical Center, where he received a CT scan and appeared to responding well to the treatment.
A pall that fell on Camden Yards after Orioles second baseman Robert Andino, taking batting practice, unleashed a line drive from the batter’s box while the Orioles were taking batting practice that hit Alburquerque flush.
Alburquerque was warming up in leftfield with his teammates when he was struck.
All baseball activities stopped as players milled around and medical aid was rushed onto the field. Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer seemingly had a hard time watching, as he held his head with both hands in disbelief. After a few minutes, the cart arrived and Alburquerque was helped to his feet and placed on a cart and taken off the field. He was accompanied by head athletic trainer Kevin Rand.
Alburquerque is 5-1 with a 2.19 ERA in 34 games.
Contact VINCE ELLIS: 313-222-6479 or vellis@freepress.com.