Orioles second baseman Jorge Mateo is undergoing a concussion test after being struck in the back of his helmet by teammate Cedric Mullins’ bat.
As the two were preparing for the bottom of the fourth inning in the on-deck circle, Mullins’ back fell on his teammate’s head as Mateo bent down to pick up some extra weight.
Mateo was scheduled to bat second that inning, but left the game.
“I was just doing normal stretches, like circle stretches, to loosen up,” Mullins says. According to the Baltimore Sun“And he was right behind me. I didn’t see him.”
Mullins added that Mateo seemed “OK” when he saw him in the Orioles clubhouse kitchen after the game.
The Orioles hosted the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday but lost 4-3.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters after the game that the infielder would undergo further testing.
“We’re just keeping an eye on it,” Hyde said. “He’ll get some more tests done and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Major League Baseball has a seven-day disabled list for players with concussion symptoms.
Mateo had an infield hit and was 1-for-1 at-bat on Sunday before being hit in the head with a bat.
Mateo became the Orioles’ starting second baseman, and Ramon Urias came in to pinch-hitter for Mateo in the fourth inning.
Hyde then advanced Urias to third base and placed Jordan Westberg at second.
The 28-year-old Orioles is batting .246/.294/.447 with 12 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 13 RBIs, 19 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
It is unclear at this time whether Mateo will miss the Orioles game as a result of the incident.
