Japanese major leaguer Kenta Maeda (35, Minnesota Twins) avoided injury even after being hit on the ankle by a 179 km assault ball. We plan to continue to digest the starting rotation without breaking away from power, not at the level of avoiding injury.

According to Japanese media ‘Daily Sports’, Maeda reported on his personal SNS on the 25th, “I was hit by a ball in the game, but I will be able to go out as scheduled next time.” 

On the 21st (Korean time), Maeda started in the 2023 Major League Baseball away game against the Boston Red Sox held at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and suffered an unexpected injury after being hit by a batted ball. 

In the bottom of the second inning, with second out and second base, Maeda was hit in the left ankle by Jaren Duran’s assault ball. Despite his injury, Maeda caught the ball, which was deflected by his ankle, and threw it to first base to put the batter runner out, but immediately grabbed his ankle and fell to the ground. Trainers and teammates rushed to the ground and looked on with concern, while Maeda stood up and walked away with a slight limp. The record for the day was 2 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 run. 

Maeda had an X-ray after the match and found that he had no bone problems. He was fortunate in his misfortune, but he was hit by a very strong batted ball and was in a situation where he could not be optimistic about his next appearance. At a press conference at the time, Maeda said, “I was hit on the front of my ankle, and at that moment it hurt enough to die.” However, he showed a cautious attitude, saying, “I think we need to watch his condition because swelling or pain can get worse over time than right after he was hit.”

After three days of rest, Maeda’s ankle condition improved. He said, “I was hit by a strong hit, but I think my body is strong. I would like to thank everyone for their concern and I will work hard on my next appearance.” 토토사이트

Maeda is scheduled to start in the home game against the New York Yankees at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on the 27th. Maeda, who received elbow ligament splicing in September 2021 and has been rehabilitated for a long time, will challenge 60 major league wins in about two years after August 2021.