CLEVELAND – Tigers rookie infielder Hao-Yu Lee left the nightcap of Friday’s doubleheader against the Guardians with a left shin contusion after a collision with catcher Austin Hedges on a play at the plate in the top of the third.
Lee was caught between third and home on a ground ball to third. José Ramírez threw home to Hedges as Lee was coming home. Lee ran into Hedges and was visibly shaken by the collision, going onto his hands and knees in pain after trying to get up. After manager A.J. Hinch and head athletic trainer Ryne Eubanks came out of the dugout, Lee eventually limped off the field with help from translator Peter Lin. He eventually went back up the dugout steps with staff.
“It was pretty scary,” Hinch said after the game. “When we were out there, he first said it was his ankle. Turns out it was his shin. And so, we’re lucky that it’s not the ankle. He’s moving around better. I know it hurt, I know it scared him a little bit. We got him checked out, and it looks like he’s day to day.”
Lee gave a thumbs-up as he walked out of the clubhouse on his own power after the game.
Lee started the game at designated hitter. Dillon Dingler, who caught the first game of Friday’s doubleheader but was out of the starting lineup for Game 2, batted for Lee when his spot in the lineup came back up in the fifth inning.
Lee has been one of several Tigers rookies to provide production in a difficult season, slashing .266/.312/.417 with 13 doubles, eight homers and 37 RBIs in 96 games. He has been especially helpful since his return from Triple-A Toledo in mid-June, batting .295 with six homers and 28 RBIs while shuttling between second and third base.