Brandon Nimmo hits a line drive that strikes Seth Lugo in the head

Seth Lugo Ejected After Line Drive Incident

In an unfortunate turn of events during Wednesday’s game against the Rangers, Royals pitcher Seth Lugo was ejected after being struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of his former Mets teammate, Brandon Nimmo.

After the incident, Nimmo quickly dashed to first base but didn’t hesitate to check on Lugo, showing concern for his well-being.

Lugo, with a lighthearted spirit, joked about wanting to see Nimmo hit a home run in his next at-bat.

The line drive, clocked at 85 mph, occurred in the fourth inning while the Royals were leading 1-0. As Lugo left the field, he had already developed a noticeable lump on his forehead.

Later in the game, the Royals took to social media to update fans, mentioning that “Lugo is doing well and will undergo appropriate protocols and testing.”

Prior to his exit, Lugo had been performing quite well, pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings with an impressive 29 strikes from 44 pitches.

Following Lugo’s departure, Royals relief pitcher Mason Black stepped in and unfortunately allowed two runs, one of which was assigned to Lugo when Nimmo scored. It added a twist to an already tense situation.

This season marks Lugo’s 13th start, during which he’s maintained a 3.91 ERA and collected 64 strikeouts, earning a no-decision win in Wednesday’s game.

Interestingly, Lugo and Nimmo were both drafted by the Mets back in 2011 and made their MLB debuts during the 2016 season, sharing a clubhouse for seven years before Lugo moved to the Padres in 2023.