Twins SP Kenta Maeda exits after taking 111 mph liner to leg

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kenta Maeda had to leave his start against the Boston Red Sox after taking a line drive off of his leg.

The Minnesota Twins were looking to end their seven-game road trip with a series win over the Boston Red Sox. The two teams had split the first two games of the three-game set, with Kenta Maeda taking the mound for Minnesota. But early in the game, the starting pitcher left due to an injury.

In the bottom of the second inning with a runner on second and two outs on the board, Maeda threw a pitch to Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, who hit a liner straight to the mound. The baseball, measuring at 111 mph, struck Maeda in his left ankle. While he did get up to throw Duran out at first base, Maeda fell back to the ground in pain.

After getting checked out by members of the training staff, Maeda walked off the field under his own power.

Maeda was removed from the game with what was described as a left ankle contusion, and manager Rocco Baldelli replaced him in the bottom of the third inning with Emilio Pagan.

Kenta Maeda exits start after taking 111 mph line drive to ankle

After the Twins lost 11-5, Baldelli revealed that Maeda’s x-rays came back negative, but that his ankle was swelled up.

Maeda said after the game, via Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com, that there were no breaks in his ankle. Park mentioned that Maeda was walking around and didn’t have his ankle wrapped.

In his two innings pitched, Maeda surrendered one earned run on one hit (solo home run to Alex Verdugo) and recorded one walk. He was assessed the loss, his third of the year in three starts. On the year, Maeda holds a 4.15 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 12 strikeouts and one walk in 13.0 innings pitched.

While the x-rays were negative, the team will be monitoring Maeda’s ankle and if he will have to miss any time.