HOUSTON – Wade Meckler exited the Angels' 18-3 win over the Astros on Thursday night after getting hit in the head by a pitch in the fifth inning, and Nolan Schanuel exited an inning later with right side soreness.
Meckler took a 90.6 mph sinker from Bryan King to the head and immediately hit the ground, laying motionless for a few seconds. Astros catcher Christian Vázquez went to Meckler and waved for the Angels’ trainers to come tend to the left fielder.
Meckler was able to get up with the help of the trainers before walking off the field. He immediately walked down the tunnel to the Angels’ clubhouse.
“He’s got a little head contusion,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Obviously, just kind of evaluating him day to day. Just kind of seeing how he feels tomorrow. It was a pretty solid shot right there.”
Suzuki said the Angels were still evaluating Meckler for a concussion.
“We have to wait until tomorrow just to be safe,” Suzuki said. “We’re evaluating him right now, but it hit him pretty good.”
Jose Siri replaced Meckler as a pinch-runner and took over in left field in the bottom of the fifth.
Schanuel was replaced at first base by Vaughn Grissom as Denzer Guzman entered to play third base in the bottom of the sixth.
“[Schanuel] had some side tightness and with the score being the way it is, it was safer just to take him out,” Suzuki said.
Suzuki said Schanuel’s availability for the Angels’ series opener at the Rangers on Friday was uncertain.
“The hope is [he’s available],” Suzuki said. “When we took him out he was like, ‘Not yet.’ I was like, ‘Score, let’s just take you out.’ He could wake up feeling great. He could wake up, maybe it tightens up. I don’t know. We just have to wait and see tomorrow. Those are tricky.”
Meckler is hitting .288 with three home runs and 20 RBIs. He was 1-for-2 and scored twice before exiting. Schanuel was 0-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored before exiting. He is hitting .276 with seven home runs and 49 RBIs on the season.