The thing you just don’t want to see in Spring Training: injuries. Sure, poor performance gives you a small pause, too, but a guy really, seriously getting hurt in an exhibition, warm-up game? No thanks.
Unfortunately for the Mariners and their fans, that’s what today was. Felix Hernandez took a hard Victor Caratini liner off the arm in the second inning:
Hernandez was in obvious and immediate pain there, and it seemed like the ball may have struck him right on the elbow of his pitching arm. Even if it’s not a break, that’s gotta hurt like crazy.
Hopefully whatever the case, Hernandez won’t be seriously set back in his attempt to put together a good comeback season here at age 31/32. So good for so long, we haven’t really seen “King Felix” for over three years now.
And in a flukey, ridiculous twist – here’s hoping this doesn’t get in Caratini’s head at all:
Felix was hit on that comebacker by Victor Caratini. Coincidentally Caratini was the one who also hit the comebacker last year that knocked out and nearly killed cardinals prospect Daniel Poncedeleon (who’s come back since, thankfully)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 26, 2018
UPDATE: Hopefully everything else comes up clear:
M's update: X-ray on Felix Hernandez was negative.
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) February 26, 2018