MLB umpire hospitalized after throw in Yankees-Guardians hits him in head
Longtime MLB umpire Larry Vanover was hospitalized after being hit in the head by a relay throw during Wednesday’s Yankees-Guardians game.
In the top of the fifth inning at Progressive Field, Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka drove the ball to center field for an extra-base hit. After Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez received the ball from center fielder Myles Straw, he attempted to throw home to nab New York’s Oswaldo Cabrera at the plate.
But Gimenez’s relay throw from shallow center drilled Vanover on the side of the head. Vanover, who has 29 years of experience at the big league level, was standing between second base and the pitcher’s mound when he got hit.
The ball knocked Vanover to the ground as it ricocheted over toward first base, allowing a second Yankees run to score. While the 67-year-old almost immediately got back to his feet, he was evaluated by Cleveland’s trainer before leaving the field and being taken to the Cleveland Clinic.
Home plate umpire Chris Guccione Crew Chief Larry Vanover left today's Yankees-Guardians game with "a pretty good-sized knot" on his head, ump Chris Guccione said. Vanover was partially coherent, and he didn't even know that he had been hit with the baseball. Vanover is undergoing tests at a nearby hospital. Crew Chief Larry Vanover left today's Yankees-Guardians game with "a pretty good-sized knot" on his head, ump Chris Guccione said. Vanover was partially coherent, and he didn't even know that he had been hit with the baseball. Vanover is undergoing tests at a nearby hospital.
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told pool reporter Brendan Kuty that Vanover was left with a pretty good-sized knot on his head and that he didn’t know he had actually been hit by the ball. MLB said Vanover was going to be evaluated for a concussion and “other potential medical issues.”Crew Chief Larry Vanover left today's Yankees-Guardians game with "a pretty good-sized knot" on his head, ump Chris Guccione said. Vanover was partially coherent, and he didn't even know that he had been hit with the baseball. Vanover is undergoing tests at a nearby hospital.
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ)Crew Chief Larry Vanover left today's Yankees-Guardians game with "a pretty good-sized knot" on his head, ump Chris Guccione said. Vanover was partially coherent, and he didn't even know that he had been hit with the baseball. Vanover is undergoing tests at a nearby hospital.
— Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) April 12, 2023
“It sounded like he was coherent and that he knew kind of what was going on, Guccione said, via The Associated Press. “But he did have that glazed look on him. Hes going to be at the hospital for the rest of the night maybe.
“That was scary. Very hard to focus after that after you see a colleague get hit. But they gave me updates, and I was like, All right. Hes good. Hes in safe hands. So, we moved on.
The game continued with three umpires after Vanover exited. New York went on to beat Cleveland 4-3.
