Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough placed on IL due to head fractures from line drive to face
The Kansas City Royals placed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough on the 15-day injured list Monday, a day after he was hit in the face with a line drive.
The team noted that Yarbrough sustained "head fractures" but did not provide further details about his condition in Monday's announcement.
The incident took place in the top of the sixth inning of Kansas City's home game against the Oakland A's. With the Royals leading 2-1 with one out, Yarbrough threw a 3-2 sinker to A's first baseman Ryan Noda, who hit a comebacker. Yarbrough tried to duck as he completed his followthrough, but the line drive hit him on the left side of his face.
Somehow (and thankfully) Ryan Yarbrough was able to walk off the field on his own power after getting drilled by this line drive pic.twitter.com/yfbEgyk4Um
— Casey Drottar (@CDrottar19) May 7, 2023
Yarbrough collapsed to the mound as catcher Salvador Perez gathered the ball to throw Noda out at first.
Fortunately, Yarbrough was able to walk off the field. He reached his feet with some assistance and walked to the Royals dugout while covering his face with a towel. Carlos Hernandez replaced him on the mound.
A scary moment in the game as Ryan Yarbrough was hit in the face with a line drive.
The Royals' starter was able to get up walk off the field with some assistance. pic.twitter.com/6EOSDjQx0M— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) May 7, 2023
The extent of Yarbrough's injuries wasn't initially clear. Royals manager Matt Quataro told reporters after the game that Yarbrough was alert and responsive. He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
Matt Quatraro provides an update on Ryan Yarbrough: "It was scary. I mean the dugout went silent ... luckily when we got out there he was talking and aware of what was going on ... as far as how he's doing, he's alert and they've taken him to get some testing." #Royals pic.twitter.com/FNbYhtW3Ch
— Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) May 7, 2023
"It was scary," Quataro said. "The dugout went silent, everybody. Your heart drops. You get a pit in your stomach. I can't think of a worse thing to see on the field.
"Luckily when we got out there, he was talking and aware of what was going on and what had happened. He was swollen immediately. There was some blood. You just didn't know exactly where it was coming from. As far as how he's doing, he's alert. And they've taken him to get some testing."
The incident ended a strong day on the mound for Yarbrough, who allowed three hits and one run with no walks in 5 2/3 innings of work. He was credited with the win in the 5-1 Royals victory.
Yarbrough, 31, is in his first season as a starter for the Royals after spending his first five MLB seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays.
