Heyward exits game with hamstring injury

August 31st, 2018

ATLANTA -- exited Thursday's 5-4 win over the Braves in the fifth inning with right hamstring tightness after diving for a ball.
With no outs in the bottom of the inning, Freddie Freeman hit a liner in the left-center gap. Heyward, playing center field, dove but came up well short, and the ball went to the fence for a two-run triple.
Heyward remained on the ground after the play and left the game after talking with manager Joe Maddon. The Georgia native and former Braves outfielder was able to walk off the field on his own power and even embraced his former teammate, Freeman, as he walked off the field.
"Let's wait until tomorrow to really call it," Maddon said. "When I went out there, the fact that he was able to walk off the field I thought was a good thing. Being a hamstring puller, I know how bad they are. Walking off is a good sign. He's seeing a doctor here, but I'm sure they're going to have to do some tests, and then we'll be more specific. You're not going to see him play tomorrow or the next day."

Albert Almora Jr. took over in center field for Heyward and ended up making an impressive grab just an inning after coming in. Almora had to track 's pinch-hit fly ball 86 feet before making a sliding catch on the warning track.