Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez left a game Friday night with a left eye contusion after colliding with outfielder Jason Heyward on the anniversary of Kyle Schwarber’s major knee injury.
The left side of Baez’s head appeared to hit Heyward’s elbow as both sprinted after a pop fly by Milwaukee’s Hernan Perez in the sixth inning.
Baez stayed on the grass face down for a couple seconds with Heyward kneeling beside him before raising his head and giving a thumbs-up sign.
Baez had a welt around his left eye as he walked off the field accompanied by manager Joe Maddon. Ben Zobrist moved from right field to replace Baez at second, and Jon Jay entered into the outfield.
This collision came exactly a year after Schwarber ran into Dexter Fowler in the outfield in Arizona and tore two ligaments in his left knee. Schwarber had surgery and sat out until the World Series, when he returned and hit .412 to help the Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games.
