Cubs' Kris Bryant hit on helmet by pitch, leaves game

Posted April 22, 2018 1:00 am

By MICHAEL KELLY Associated Press

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant reacts after taking a pitch to the batting helmet from Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Denver. Bryant was pulled from the game after getting hit. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER (AP) - Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant was hit on the head with a 96 mph pitch from Colorado's German Marquez on Sunday but appeared to have escaped serious injury.

Cubs spokesman Peter Chase said Bryant passed tests and had no sign of a concussion. Chase said Bryant had a cut above his left eye and will be on the team charter flight to Cleveland.

"As good as can be expected," manager Joe Maddon said after Chicago's 9-7 win. "I haven't heard the word concussion yet, so hopefully good."

Bryant appeared stunned as manager Maddon and the Cubs' training staff attended to him. Bryant walked off the field very slowly, with one arm around head athletic trainer PJ Mainville and the other around assistant athletic trainer Matt Johnson.

"Matty was asking him questions, and he was answering them correctly," Maddon said. "That's just a bad moment. I didn't know where KB was at when I got there, but I just knew he needed to be held onto.

"You get hit in the head, you get wobbly. You get punched in the jaw, you're wobbly," Maddon said. "I wanted to make sure to steady him. He steadied up, and then we walked him off and I said, 'You're out. Go sit down.'"

Maddon said Bryant did not ask to stay in the game.

"Even if he had he was out," Maddon said.

Bryant was not available to reporters after the game. Chase said Bryant was still being evaluated.

Bryant, the 2016 NL MVP, is hitting .319 with two home runs and 11 RBIs.

Chicago hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Andy Haines were ejected by plate umpire Cory Blaser as Cubs trainers attended to Bryant.

Maddon said he didn't realize his coaches were getting tossed until it happened. The manager did not specify what caused the pair to be tossed.

"I was concerned about Kris, holding onto him, and all of a sudden, 'You're out, you're done.' Whatever," Maddon said. "My argument was stay out of my dugout. It was an emotional moment, a lot of stuff going on. Don't look for stuff. I had no chance to go back in and settle the dugout. My argument to the umpires was just that - it was an emotional moment, stay out of my dugout."

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Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant, right, turns away from the batter's box after getting hit in the helmet by a pitch from Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez, back left, in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Denver. Bryant was forced to leave the game. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, left, helps Kris Bryant after Bryant took a pitch from Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez to the helmet in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Denver. Bryant was forced to leave the game. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, front left, argues with home plate umpire Cory Blaser, right, after Kris Bryant was hit on the helmet by a pitch from Colorado Rockies starter German Marquez in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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