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Hellickson fine after getting struck during BP

ANAHEIM -- Jeremy Hellickson returned to the team after a week's hiatus only to get hit on the back of his left shoulder during Monday's batting practice at Angel Stadium.

"I'm not sure [who hit it]," Hellickson said. "I got a 'heads up.' Got me right in the back of the left shoulder."

Hellickson allowed that his shoulder is a "little sore" but that he's got all of his "range of motion" and it won't affect his start Wednesday night against the Angels.

"It didn't hurt as much [initially] because I was pretty mad about it," said Hellickson, who was optioned to the Minors last week to rest for the stretch run. "I'd been on the field for five minutes. Just got back [with the team], been on the field for five minutes and that happens."

Fortunately for Hellickson, this mishap was nothing like the one early in the 2012 season when a batting practice home run by Delmon Young struck him on the head in the visitors' bullpen in Detroit. Hellickson had to go through a rigorous set of concussion tests, as required by Major League Baseball, in order to get back on the field.

Of course, Young is now one of Hellickson's teammates. When asked if Young had hit the ball that hit him in the shoulder Monday, Hellickson said that it was not.

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Tampa Bay Rays, Jeremy Hellickson