Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

Braves' Merrifield rants about out-of-control pitchers after getting plunked in the head

Sport

Braves' Merrifield rants about out-of-control pitchers after getting plunked in the head
Sport

Sport

Braves' Merrifield rants about out-of-control pitchers after getting plunked in the head

2024-09-05 05:13 Last Updated At:05:21

ATLANTA (AP) — Whit Merrifield got lucky. He wasn't seriously injured when a 95-mph fastball struck him on the head.

Still, the Atlanta Braves second baseman is livid about the state of pitching in the big leagues, saying it's only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or even killed.

“The way pitchers are throwing now, there's no remorse or regard for throwing up and in,” Merrifield said after Tuesday's game against the Colorado Rockies. “Guys are throwing as hard as they can and they don't care where the ball goes.”

Merrifield was struck behind the right ear with a pitch from Jeff Criswell in the seventh inning of Atlanta's 3-0 victory.

Fortunately, the ball appeared to catch a bit of Merrifield's helmet, though he was still forced to leave the game. He wasn't in the lineup Wednesday but expects to return in a day or two after passing the concussion protocol and getting a clean bill of health from a precautionary CT scan.

“I just took 95 right off the head,” he said. “I’m very lucky that it got me in a good spot.”

Elsewhere, Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper had to leave a game at Toronto after he was hit on the left elbow by a pitch. Harper winced in pain and grabbed his elbow after he was struck by a 92 mph fastball from right-hander Bowden Francis in the first inning Wednesday.

Merrifield, who serves on MLB's competition committee, said pitchers must face some ramifications for hitting batters. He planned to discuss the issue on a conference call.

“Without being over dramatic, that was my life on the line out there," Merrifield said. “I’m sick of it. It’s happening way too much.”

The Braves have already had two players go down this season after being hit by pitches, and several others who had close calls.

Second baseman Ozzie Albies went on 10-day injured list in April with a broken right big toe after being hit by a curveball. Third baseman Austin Riley is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a fractured right hand, the result of being plunked with a 97-mph fastball last month.

“Team are bringing pitchers up and they don't know where the hell it's going,” Merrifield said. “They throw 100 miles an hour so they say, ‘All right, we’ll see if he can get guys out. Just set up down the middle and throw it as hard as you can.’ It's driving me nuts. I hate where the game's at right now.”

In a different era, a team could expect payback when one of their batters was hit by a pitch. But MLB has cracked down on that sort of retaliation, and there's no way to go after the pitcher himself since baseball now has the designated hitter in both leagues.

“You can’t hit a guy back anymore, so there’s no fear that, ‘Oh, if I hit this guy, our guy is gonna get hit,'" Merrifield said. “And pitchers don’t have to hit anymore, so they don’t have to stand in the box.”

He noted that he had to leave the game after getting hit, while Criswell stayed in.

“It’s just ridiculous and it has to be fixed or, god forbid, something terrible is gonna happen," Merrifield said, “It’s frankly pathetic that some of the pitchers that are out there, they don’t know where the ball is going the majority of the time.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper holds his arm after betting hit by a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)

Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper holds his arm after betting hit by a pitch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)

Atlanta Braves' Whit Merrifield rounds second base after a hit by Gio Urshel in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Atlanta Braves' Whit Merrifield rounds second base after a hit by Gio Urshel in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryson Stott, right, steals second past Atlanta Braves second baseman Whit Merrifield during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryson Stott, right, steals second past Atlanta Braves second baseman Whit Merrifield during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Next Article

Canada shuts out Slovenia 4-0 to open ice hockey worlds

2025-05-10 21:47 Last Updated At:21:51

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Canada opened the ice hockey world championship by shutting out newcomer Slovenia 4-0 on Saturday.

Bo Horvat scored two power-play goals, Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists and Noah Dobson also scored on a power play. Dylan Garand made 11 saves for Canada in the Group A game in the Swedish capital.

Horvat opened the scoring 7:22 into the opening period with a one-timed shot from the left circle.

Canada added three more goals in the middle period when it outshot Slovenia 22-3.

MacKinnon doubled the advantage 3:41 into the frame with a shot in between the pads of goalie Lukas Horak. MacKinnon opted to join Canada after his Colorado Avalanche were knocked out of the NHL playoffs in the first round.

Horvat added his second with 6:22 to go and Dobson made it 4-0 with 3:05 remaining in the second.

Canada is the most successful nation at the tournament with 28 titles but finished fourth last year.

With MacKinnon and captain Sidney Crosby together at the worlds after 10 years, Canada is a clear favorite to win for the third time in last five years.

In Herning, Denmark, Kazakhstan beat Norway 2-1 in Group B.

Sweden plays Austria, and France faces Latvia in Stockholm later Saturday while Germany meets Hungary, and last year;'s runner-up Switzerland takes on Denmark in Herning.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Canada's Nate MacKinnon, top, scores during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovenia and Canada at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday May 10, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada's Nate MacKinnon, top, scores during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovenia and Canada at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday May 10, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada goalkeeper Dylan Garand during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovenia and Canada at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday May 10, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada goalkeeper Dylan Garand during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovenia and Canada at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday May 10, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada's Bo Horvat, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovenia and Canada at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday May 10, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Canada's Bo Horvat, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship group A match between Slovenia and Canada at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, Saturday May 10, 2025. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT News Agency via AP)

Recommended Articles
Hot · Posts