Manny Machado exits game with knee injury
By Hayden Kane
The Baltimore Orioles are riding high at the top of the American League East, enjoying the biggest division lead in all of baseball entering this week’s games. There might be some seriously bad news from Monday night’s game, however. that will throw some ice water on those good vibes.
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Third baseman Manny Machado exited the game early with a knee injury. Per Rich Dubroff of CSN Baltimore:
"Machado swung at a pitch from the Yankees’ Chris Capuano and his bat shattered. As the ball reached shortstop, Machado collapsed, writhing, holding his right knee.Trainer Richie Bancells and manager Buck Showalter ran to Machado’s aid and helped him off the field.Machado missed the first month of the season recuperating from surgery on his left knee. He hurt the left knee in Tampa Bay on Sept. 23 and had surgery in October."
That has to be the part of this news that looms as the most ominous for Baltimore. While they would never want Machado to re-injure the knee that ended his 2013 season and delayed the start of his 2014 season, they also have to hate the idea that this could be a completely separate injury to his other knee.
Machado’s bat has come on as of late, with his season numbers now up to a .277/.323/.428 line with 12 home runs and 32 driven in. Combined with his elite defense at third, that production from Machado has been a key part of the equation as Baltimore has separated from the pack.
The Orioles will hope against hope that this injury is not as serious as Machado’s initial reaction would indicate.