Jason Heyward carries a permanent reminder of the fastball that broke his jaw nearly five years ago.
The 90-mph pitch from Mets southpaw Jon Niese left Heyward bloodied and dazed. He kneeled toward the plate and extended his arms for support before writhing on his back in the dirt, where a trainer met him.
“I’ve still got a plate in my chin,” said Heyward, who missed a month with the Braves after the pitch. “It happens, unfortunately. It’s a tough part of the game. That’s why I’ve got a flap on my helmet.”
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Although Heyward does not dwell on the incident, he can’t help but remember his experience whenever he sees another player hit in the face or on the helmet. It happened this week to teammate Kris Bryant, who avoided fractures but was held out of the lineup for the third consecutive game Thursday as he recovers from a pitch that caught him on his helmet above his left eye.
The fastball from Rockies starter German Marquez briefly staggered Bryant and forced him to leave the game Sunday. Bryant remains under evaluation but has not been diagnosed with a concussion.
Tommy La Stella started at third base in place of Bryant for the series opener against the Brewers.
“I’m listening to KB, the doctors, trying to do the right things and get him back out there,” manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s early. I really feel strongly that he’s going to be fine, but I don’t want to push it.”
When Bryant returns, he will confront the same challenge as Heyward and everyone else who has been beaned. He must find a way to bury the memory as he digs into the batter’s box with typical fearlessness.
Maddon plans to steer clear of the subject with his third baseman.
“Honestly, I won’t have that conversation,” Maddon said. “I think that’s pretty personal. If he wants to reach out and talk to anybody, I would talk to guys that it has happened to before.”
Heyward is available if Bryant wants to talk but has not sought out his teammate.
“Nope,” Heyward said. “Don’t have to. I just ask him, is he OK?
“There’s nothing really to talk about. Just make sure he’s good.”
Heyward is not the only player who wears a hard plastic flap on his helmet to protect his jaw and other parts of his face.
Outfielder Albert Almora Jr. opted for the extra protection early last season for peace of mind after an inside pitch caught his attention, if not his chin.
“We went to go play San Fran, and I remember Matt Cain threw me a two-seamer up and in,” Almora said. “It felt way, way closer than it actually was. It was maybe five, six inches away from me, but it felt like it was on me.
“From there on, I go, this game is evolving so much and guys are throwing way harder. It’s just a sense of protection having that [flap]. In the sense of being scared or timid, no, that never ran through my mind. I was like, let me get more protection just in case. Because I’m an aggressive hitter and my first move is always toward the pitcher.”
Bryant’s controlled aggression at the plate has helped him become one of the most dominant hitters in the league. Teammates are confident that he will not miss a step when he returns.
“After a while, you don’t think about it too much, or I personally don’t,” Heyward said. “As far as KB goes, I’m just happy he was able to walk off on his own and he’s feeling OK. He’s going to go whenever he’s ready.”
