During Sunday's game between the New York Yankees and Colorado Rockies, home plate umpire Nick Mahrley was put in a neck brace and stretchered off after being hit by a broken bat during a Giancarlo Stanton at-bat. The league announced that he suffered a concussion and will miss a minimum of one series while he recovers.
Mahrley was keeled over for several minutes while medical staff tended to him after the entire barrel of Stanton's bat detached from the handle and launched backward, making contact in the neck/head area of the home plate umpire. After leaving the game, it proceeded with a three-man crew with no umpire manning third base.
Stanton had praise for Mahrley after the game and how he handled the freak play.
"That was bad... He took it like a champ though. When I was in the box I didn't hear anything... a groan or anything. Took it like a champ, think he's going to be OK."
Giancarlo Stanton on 7th inning, speaks to home plate umpire Nick Mahrley, Aaron Judge, and going back-to-back-to-back. pic.twitter.com/7cUysuoSQe
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 25, 2024
Stanton went 2-for-3, including a hit on the broken-bat play. New York had 12 hits and would go on to win the rubber-match game 10-3.
It's Mahrley's second season as a full-time major league umpire.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Giancarlo Stanton Had Classy Message for Ump Stretchered Off After Being Hit By Bat.
