Scary news related to the Detroit Tigers, however indirectly, early Wednesday morning. According to mlive.com, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeremy Hellickson was taken to the hospital after being hit in the head with a ball during batting practice on Wednesday morning. Hellickson was standing in the Rays bullpen when the batted ball struck him.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said Hellickson was conscious and was not bleeding. Maddon said Hellickson was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. He left the field on a cart.
The Tigers weren't set to face Hellickson during their three-game series against the Rays, but it's still worth noting as they get set for game two on Wednesday. It's worth noting given the comparison in the piece, which brings up Al Alburquerque, the Tigers relief pitcher who was hit in the head with a ball during batting practice and then went on to miss a big chunk of the 2011 season.
Hellickson is 1-0 with no earned runs on the season, pitching 8 2/3 innings of shutout ball against the Yankees in his only start on the season. It's a rough break for the American League Rookie of the Year, but given the quote above, there's a solid chance that he'll be fine.
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