Major League Baseball umpires behind home plate wear a lot of protection to keep themselves safe, but all the gear does not always protect them from everything. And that was certainly the case on Sunday as an umpire was carted off the field after taking a broken bat to the head.
During the bottom of the fifth inning in Sunday afternoon’s game between the Colorado Rockies and the New York Yankees, home plate umpire Nick Mahrley was hit in the head and neck area with the barrel of a bat after the bat of Giancarlo Stanton splitered when it made contact with a ball.
The bat broke around the handle, sending the barrel of the bat directly toward the head of Mahrley and striking him in several places where he did not have protection or padding.
Home plate umpire Nick Mahrley took a splintered Giancarlo Stanton bat to the throat and is being carted off
Hoping he's all good 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Z85ZDMahI1
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 25, 2024
After he was struck by the bat, Mahrley immediately fell to the ground in obvious pain causing the catcher to check on him. Mahrley was able to sit up enough to watch the play and fulfil his duties as umpire, but he was then treated by medical staff on the field and ultimately left the field on a cart.
Hopefully, he is alright and recovers quickly.
