ARLINGTON, Texas - Texas Rangers reliever Luis Curvelo left Saturday's game with the Cleveland Guardians after suffering an injury significant enough to cause him to leave the game.
In the eighth inning Curvelo was pitching to Cleveland's Patrick Bailey who hit a comebacker right at Curvelo. The ball appeared to hit him in the lower body, but he was able to pick up the ball and try to throw Bailey out at first base. The throw pulled first baseman Jake Burger off the bag and Curvelo was charged with an error.
Right after making the throw, Curvelo hopped around in pain as he tried to shake off the injury. A team trainer had to help the right-hander to the ground and appeared to be looking at Curvelo's left thigh. Three different replays didn't offer a definitive location of where the baseball hit him. The Rangers didn't have an immediate update on his injury.
Robby Ahlstrom came in after Curvelo and per MLB rules was given as much time as needed to warm up to replace him. He didn't give up a hit but he allowed an inherited run to score, giving Cleveland a 6-0 lead.
Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) and pitcher Luis Curvelo. | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
After the game, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that the ball hit Curvelo above his knee and on the inner thigh. He had not seen the right-hander postgame and didn't have more on his condition.
"He wasn't feeling really good," Schumaker said. "He fell to the ground after we came out there. He said he probably wanted to try and stay in the game. But after I saw him go to the ground that really wasn't any question that we had to go to another pitcher."
Curvelo returned to the Rangers on Monday in a flurry of moves, which included Texas moving Chris Martin to the 15-day injured list for the second time with a right shoulder impingement. Curvelo was on the IL from April 15-May 20 with a right shoulder strain. He has not factored in a decision but has a 5.68 ERA this season. Before Saturday, his last appearance was on Wednesday in St. Louis , where he pitched 1.1 innings and gave up two hits and one earned run.
The Rangers have two relievers on the 15-day injured list, Cole Winn and Chris Martin. Neither is eligible to return on Sunday if needed. Relievers Robert Garcia and Carter Baumler are on the 60-day IL.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as Rangers Reliever Luis Curvelo Leaves Guardians Game After Potential Injury .
