The Braves came away with a big victory on Friday night against the Mets, but not without possibly losing talented center fielder Jordan Schafer for quite a while.
In a horrific accident at the plate, Schafer squared around to bunt a pitch from Mets starter Jonathon Niese. The pitcher (unintentionally) threw a high, inside fastball which was headed right for the left-handed Schafer. Jordan attempted to duck out of the way of the pitch, but instead the ball ricocheted off the bat and into the cheek and nose portions of his face.
Schafer immediately dropped to the ground and was assisted by teammates and coaches within moments of the accident. He remained on the ground for several minutes, though he didn't lose consciousness at any point. He was eventually able to hobble off the field with the aid of his coaches and had a large icepack placed against his face. He was immediately taken to a local hospital for x-rays and a CAT scan.
The injury will hit the Braves organization hard in multiple ways. As you may recall, after a brilliant start to his Major League career in 2009, Schafer broke a bone in his wrist which would eventually hold him out from baseball for more than 12 months. The kid has been through a lot in the last few years and a severe head injury is the absolute last thing he needed.
The injury will also bring back memories of the traumatic accident in Florida during the Braves Spring Training. Brian McCann fouled off a ball which flew towards the dugout and then struck Minor League coach Luis Salazar in the face. While some feared for his life, Salazar fought back and continues to coach today. He lost an eye, but Salazar has made a full recovery and is now the manager for the Class-A Lynchburg Hillcats today.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jordan and his family. It was a horrific accident and we can only hope for the best.