CLEVELAND — Major League Baseball umpire Larry Vanover was released from the hospital Friday, two days after being hit in the head with a relay throw by a Guardians player during a game against the New York Yankees.
Vanover was discharged from the Cleveland Clinic after being under care for two nights and will remain off the field until he’s cleared by MLB’s medical personnel. He had been scheduled to work Thursday in Cincinnati.
The 67-year-old was struck on the left side of his head in the fifth inning Wednesday by a throw from Guardians All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez, who was firing toward home plate on the play. Giménez was less than 50 feet away.
Vanover was on the grass between second base and the pitching mound when he got hit by the throw, which was clocked at 89 mph. It knocked off Vanover’s hat and sunglasses, and the moment drew a collective gasp from the Progressive Field crowd.
Vanover quickly crumbled to his feet as the ball caromed off him and rolled toward first base. He appeared dazed as he was being checked by a Guardians trainer and the three other umpires in his crew. He left the field under his own power.
Giménez was visibly shaken by the incident.
“That was scary,” said plate umpire Chris Guccione, who worked the rest of New York’s 4-3 win two other umps. “Very hard to focus after that, after you see a colleague get hit.”
Following the game, managers Aaron Boone and Terry Francona as well as players on both teams expressed their concern for Vanover, who has been umpiring in the majors for 29 years.
Vanover ejected Boone in the first inning of Wednesday’s game following a confusing play that led to a replay challenge and long delay.
“That looked pretty scary,” Boone said. “He got smoked pretty well. … I hope he’s well.”