Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried, a left-hander, and San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove, a right-hander, had to leave the game early due to injuries on Wednesday night during Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Fried, who could become a free agent after the World Series, was taken out after two innings, which might be his last start for Atlanta. He was struck on his left hip by a line drive from Fernando Tatis Jr. just two batters into the game.
Fried managed to get through a bases-loaded situation in the first inning, but in the second inning, he gave up five runs on six consecutive hits with two outs.
“It was his hip,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “As the inning wore on it affected him. The longer he was out there, the worse he got.”
Dylan Lee came in to pitch at the start of the third inning, but by then, the damage was done. Atlanta could not make a comeback and was eliminated as the Padres won 5-4, completing a two-game sweep.
Musgrove fell behind 2-1 on Matt Olson after throwing two slow curveballs with two outs in the fourth inning. He was visited by pitching coach Ruben Niebla, along with Padres manager Mike Shildt and an athletic trainer, and then Musgrove had to leave the game.
The team later reported that he had tightness in his right elbow.
Musgrove expressed his frustration, saying, “I want to be out there and finish the job. This is the last thing I want in my first postseason outing, but that’s just the reality of it.
It’s coming at a bad time, but I’ll address it, I’ll find the best possible path to get back and do my best to get back here as soon as I can.”
Despite his injury, Musgrove took part in the on-field celebration and the wild party in the clubhouse afterward. It is unclear whether he will be able to play in the upcoming postseason games, including the best-of-five Division Series against the Dodgers that starts Saturday in Los Angeles.
