LAKELAND, Fla. -- Pirates reliever Chris Devenski was carted off the field after being struck in the head by a line drive during Friday night’s 7-5 win over the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Devenski, in Pirates camp as a non-roster invite after signing a Minor League deal in January, entered for the seventh inning and struck out Colt Keith before Tigers infield prospect Woody Hadeen hit a line drive back up the middle at 103 mph, according to Statcast. The ball hit Devenski on the side of the head and bounced towards third base as Devenski dropped to the ground.
Pirates athletic training staff and stadium medical personnel rushed to the mound as a clearly distraught Hadeen stood on first base. Devenski eventually got up and walked over to the cart on his own power, sitting up in the front seat as he was wheeled off the field.
Devenski remains alert and was being evaluated by Pirates medical staff after the game, according to an update from the team Friday night.