Two Tigers outfielders were involved in a scary head-to-head collision Thursday, leaving one bloodied before he was carted off Minnesota’s Target Field.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 1-1 game, Twins slugger Josh Bell lifted a fly ball to left-center field as Riley Greene and Parker Meadows both chased down the potential out.
Meadows could not stop his momentum running from center field toward Greene — who made the catch — and collided with the Tigers’ All-Star.
Greene briefly fell to one knee, but Meadows collapsed to the grass on his back and stayed on the ground for several minutes as Greene and the medical staff, including athletic trainer Ryne Eubanks, checked on him.
A streak of blood could be seen down Meadows’ left cheek.
Meadows, 26, remained on his back for several minutes before he sat up and was assisted into a golf cart, appearing dazed after the collision.
Meadows had gone 0-for-3 in three plate appearances before the injury.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Meadows would remain at a Minneapolis hospital overnight and revealed that he bit his lip during the collision, per MLB.com.
“Obviously we’re going to get him checked out for everything, but this one worries me,” Hinch said.
Veteran Javier Báez moved from shortstop to center field in the wake of Meadows’ injury, while prized rookie Kevin McGonigle entered the game at shortstop.
Later in the eighth inning, Twins shortstop Brooks Lee delivered a go-ahead two-run single as the Twins defeated the Tigers 3-1.
