Braves' Newcomb passes tests after liner off head
The Atlanta Braves will continue to monitor left-hander Sean Newcomb, but he passed initial tests after getting hit in the back of the head with a line drive on Saturday.
Newcomb exited his start against the Philadelphia Phillies after a comebacker off the bat of Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto hit off his head and ricocheted into the Philadelphia dugout for a ground-rule double. The line drive exited Realmuto's bat at 102 mph. Newcomb turned his head away before impact but was still hit squarely.
A trainer came to check on Newcomb before the pitcher walked off the field under his own power. The 26-year-old gave up two unearned runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out three.
"We're just going to keep monitoring him," Braves manager Brian Snitker said, per MLB.com. "He's passed the tests. You just don't know with an injury like that overnight. Hopefully, he gets through the night and sleeps, and he comes in here and he's great."
Newcomb said Saturday night that he remembered the entire sequence of events. He even tried to convince Snitker he could continue pitching.
"I was with it the whole time," Newcomb said. "I remember the whole play and everything. So, I knew I was pretty good that way. I just obviously got squared up in the head. So, it was pretty sore."
Right-hander Touki Toussaint took over in relief.
Newcomb, in his third season with the Braves, entered the outing 1-0 with a 2.59 ERA in 19 games (three starts) this season.
The Phillies emerged with a 6-5 win.
--Field Level Media
