Angels’ Ward taken to hospital after hit by pitch

TORONTO — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was taken to a Toronto hospital for tests after being hit in the head by a pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah in the fifth inning Saturday.

Angels manager Phil Nevin said he planned to visit Ward in the hospital after leaving the stadium following the Angels’ 6-1 loss.

Batting with the bases loaded, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch clocked at 91 mph. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.

“It got him pretty flush,” Nevin said.

Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels’ dugout for the trainer as Ward went down with blood running down his face.

“It’s scary,” Angels left-hander Reid Detmers said. “You’re just hoping and praying that he’s all right, that he gets up.”

Angels trainers rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.

“Obviously it didn’t look very good,” Angels infielder Mike Moustakas said. “Hopefully we get some good news here in a little bit. We’re all praying for him.”

Manoah put his hands on his head as he stood on the mound. It was the second hit batter of the game for Manoah, who hit Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani on the left foot in the first.

Andrew Velazquez ran for Ward, who drove in the first run of the game. Velazquez went to shortstop and Luis Rengifo, who scored on the play, moved to left field in the bottom of the inning.

Asked whether the Angels might visit Ward in hospital, Moustakas said he thought it was better to let his teammate rest.

“I’m sure we’ll all send him some text messages and see how he’s doing, but I don’t know if going over there is a good thing,” Moustakas said. “I don’t think that’s the right thing to do right now. Let him rest and recover, get healthy.”

Before play resumed, Blue Jays manager John Schneider came to the mound and replaced Manoah with left-hander Génesis Cabrera.

After the game, Manoah called it “a terrible moment.”

“That’s probably the worst feeling ever,” Manoah said. “Definitely want to pray for him and his family. That’s the last thing you want to do, no matter the situation, no matter the team, no matter anything. I feel really bad about it. I’ll definitely be looking to see how he’s doing.”

In September 2021, Manoah hit Oakland’s Starling Marte in the helmet with a 92 mph pitch. Marte stayed in the game to run the bases but was later replaced.