The Los Angeles Angels’ ugly week continued with a scary scene on Saturday against the New York Mets.
Angels rookie pitcher Chase Silseth exited the game in the fourth inning with an apparent head injury after a throw from first baseman Trey Cabbage to third base hit him directly in the back of the head. The ball ricocheted toward the third base dugout and allowed Francisco Lindor to score after a Mets baserunning error forced him to break for third.
Silseth took several steps after the impact before falling forward to the ground. He didn’t appear to lose consciousness, but was in clear pain as his teammates and Angels trainers checked on him.
Silseth exited the game with three strikeouts, two walks, two hits and two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of work.
Angels sideline reporter Erica Weston reported after the game, a 5-3 Angels win, Silseth had been taken to the hospital to undergo testing, but was alert and speaking, even cracking a joke about covering the right base.
The 23-year-old Silseth was the Angels’ 11th-round pick out of Arizona in the 2021 MLB Draft. He moved quickly through the minors, making his MLB debut last season while posting a 2.28 ERA in 83 innings with Double-A Rocket City.
Silseth, who retained rookie eligibility after 2022, entered Saturday’s start with a career 5.01 ERA, a 1.398 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings. He has started in 13 of his 21 MLB appearances.
A brutal injury for a rookie would maintain the theme of the Angels’ week, which had already seen Shohei Ohtani tear his UCL and Mike Trout return to the injured list. The team’s record was 62-67 entering Saturday, a full 10 games out of the third and final AL wild-card spot.
