UPDATE: Joe Frisaro of MLB.com passes along word that Stanton suffered multiple facial fractures, dental damage, and a facial laceration that required stitches. This isn’t unexpected, but it’s still a shame.
12:04 a.m. ET: Mike Fiers just wrote the following message to Giancarlo Stanton via Twitter:
11:58 p.m. ET: According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, Marlins manager Mike Redmond said that it “doesn’t look good” for Stanton to return this season. The baseball part is obviously secondary to his well being, but it would still be very unfortunate to see his season end this way.
11:19 p.m. ET: According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, the Marlins announced that Stanton suffered a laceration on the left side of his face and was sent to a local hospital for a CT scan and X-rays.
10:02 p.m. ET: Scary news to pass along here, as Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was just hit in the face by a pitch from Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers in the top of the fifth inning. The National League home run leader was on the ground for several minutes before being put on a stretcher and carted off the field. You can watch the entire situation unfold here.
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and Adam McCalvy of MLB.com have some details from the scene:
Giancarlo Stanton is beaned by Mike Fiers and goes down hard. Blood appears to be pouring out of mouth.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) September 12, 2014
Giancarlo Stanton is beaned by Mike Fiers and goes down hard. Blood appears to be pouring out of mouth.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) September 12, 2014
It won't be easy for Fiers to continue after this. He is very shaken by this.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) September 12, 2014
Stanton holding towel to left side of face while being placed on stretcher. Laying on his left side. #Brewers team doctors are assisting.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) September 12, 2014
Scary scene at Miller Park as medics tend to Giancarlo Stanton after he was hit in the face by a pitch pic.twitter.com/SMPcyHsUfp
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) September 12, 2014
Very scary. We’ll pass along more updates when they are made available. Get well, Giancarlo.
UPDATE: It was ruled that Stanton swung at the pitch that hit him, so his replacement, Reed Johnson came up to the plate and was hit on the hand on the hand when he swung on the very first pitch from Fiers. Casey McGehee, who was in the on-deck circle, was apparently frustrated that the pitches were ruled as strikes and let home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg hear it. This somehow led to both benches clearing and some jawing between the teams. It was a bizarre scene. Fortunately, order was quickly restored and McGehee and Marlins manager Mike Redmond were tossed from the ballgame. Why Fiers is still in this game is beyond me. He’s clearly (and understandably) shaken up. Wake up, Ron Roenicke.