Angels left fielder Justin Upton exited Tuesday’s 7-1 loss to the Rangers in the fourth inning after being hit by a pitch on his left hand from right-hander Lance Lynn and was diagnosed with a hand contusion as X-rays were negative. Upton was hit by a pitch from Lynn in a similar spot in the second inning as well.
It’s an unfortunate injury for Upton, who had been swinging the bat better recently after a slow start. The 33-year-old was batting .429/.515/.750 with two homers, three doubles and nine RBIs over his last eight games. Upton is batting .192/.283/.374 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 29 games this season. He’s also been hit by a team-high five pitches this year.
Angels manager Joe Maddon said Upton will be held out of the lineup on Wednesday but is otherwise considered day to day.
“Each ball hit different spots,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “It wasn't, like, in the same exact spot. The second one stung a little bit more.”
With Shohei Ohtani on third base and one out in the fourth, Upton was hit by a 95.7 mph fastball from Lynn on a 3-2 count and immediately went to the Angels' dugout and was removed from the game. He was replaced by Taylor Ward. Max Stassi followed with an inning-ending double play.
After the inning, Lynn walked over to Angels first-base coach Jose Molina and appeared to explain himself, and that the hit by pitch wasn't intentional. Upton was also hit by a 92 mph sinker on a 3-2 count in a similar spot to lead off the second. Anthony Rendon was also plunked by a 94.3 mph fastball on a 1-1 count with two outs in the first.
“I hit Upton twice and hated both of them,” Lynn said. “I heard that X-rays were negative, so very happy to hear that. Nothing was intentional, and I wasn’t even trying to go in there. When you look with the season that’s gone on, and the way everything has gone, you don’t want to hurt anyone ever. And then with the way everybody has been fighting and doing all of that, and you hit the same guy twice in the same spot, that’s the thing that gets you the most.”