MLB Umpire Remains Hospitalized After Scary In-Game Accident

Major League Baseball umpire Larry Vanover remained hospitalized as of Thursday (April 13) morning in relation to an in-game accident in which he was hit in the head by a baseball during the game between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Wednesday (April 12) afternoon, Cleveland.com reports.

Vanover, 67, was standing between second base and the pitcher's mound when he was struck on the left side of his head by a relay throw from Guardians shortstop Andrés Giménez in the fifth inning. The veteran umpire was scheduled to work the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds Thursday night but was unavailable.

Cleveland.com reports that there was a possibility that Vanover would be released from Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland on Thursday, however, he will still need to be cleared by MLB's medical staff before resuming his umpiring role.

Trailing 3-1, Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka hit a two-run double off the centerfield wall, which was fielded by Myles Straw and relayed to Giménez before hitting Vanover. The 67-year-old managed to get up immediately before being taken to the hospital.

Chris Guccione, a member of the umpiring crew during the Yankees-Guardians game, confirmed that Vanover received a CAT scan and was tested for a concussion.

“He’s got a pretty good-sized knot on the left side (of his head) right above his ear),” Guccione told reporters after the game via Cleveland.com.

“I’m glad he was able to walk (and that) he was able to get to the hospital,” Guccione added. “That was scary. Very hard to focus after that after you see a colleague get hit.”

The Yankees added two more runs in the seventh and ninth innings to defeat the Guardians, 4-3, on Wednesday.