Kris Bryant seems to be a magnet for pitches so far this season, but Sunday’s was on a different level.
Kris Bryant went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in the first game of this weekend’s road series against the Colorado Rockies, then followed it up with a 0-for-3 (with a walk) on Saturday. Entering Sunday’s game, he had a .319/.461/.536 slash-line with two home runs and 11 RBI on the still-young season.
But Bryant had also been hit a major-league high six times entering the game Sunday, including a streak of three games in a row from April 12-14 and five of them coming in a seven-game span before the Cub’s trip to Denver.
Bryant’s seventh HBP of the season came in the top of the first Sunday, with two outs and no one on against Rockies’ starter German Marquez, and brought a very scary moment.
Seemingly arguing for some level intent from Marquez, Cubs hitting coach Chili Davis was ejected and assistant hitting coach Andy Haines followed with his own ejection after throwing a drink toward the umpire.
Bryant was, of course, woozy after being hit in the head by a 96 mile per hour fastball, and he suffered a laceration above his left eye from his sunglasses. He has reportedly passed all initial concussion tests though, which is good news.
But Bryant will be monitored closely, and a missed game or two seems certain. A stint on the 7-day concussion disabled list also can’t be ruled out yet.
David Bote replaced Bryant in the game as a pinch runner, and at third base. The Cubs wound up scoring three runs in the first inning, one in the second and two in the third to chase Marquez with those six runs on eight hits over 3.1 innings. So that’s some consolation, to what hopefully will prove to not be a long-term absence for the 2015 NL Rookie of the Year and 2016 NL MVP.