Playing the first match of the series on August 26, the Braves, continued their pleasant form, defeated the Cardinals 11-4, quite convincingly. However, the comfortable victory was not the only instance from the match that made the headlines. In the same game, rookie pitcher, Jackson Stephens, got hit on his eye by a fastball. Stephens started his MLB career with Cincinnati Reds in 2017. After the 2019 season, Stephens became a free agent.
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Earlier this year, Jackson Stephens signed a minor league contract with the Braves. Moving on, the Braves added Stephens to their Major League Roster as he made his Braves debut against the Washington Nationals. During that match, the Braves beat the Nationals 16-4 with some brilliant performances from Ozuna, Albies, debutant Bryce Elder and Jackson Stephens who sealed the match.
How did Jackson Stephens get hit?
During the first match of the series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in Missouri, Jackson Stephens faced a blow on his forehead by the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan. According to Statcast, Donovan hit the ball at a powerful 90.4 mph. The replay below was an extremely unpleasant sight.
Jackson Stephens exited after taking this 90.4 mph Brendan Donovan comebacker off his forehead. Stephens had a visible welt above his right eye as he walked off the field. pic.twitter.com/6JEZ5tgf5q
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 27, 2022
After the hit, an injury was visible above Stephens’ right eye near the brow. Despite the injury, Stephens could walk out of the field by himself, which was a positive sign. Donovan hit a straight-line drive at 90.4mph that hit Jackson Stephens right on his forehead.
In the aftermath of the serious blow, the Braves added Stephens to the 7-day injury list with a concussion. Luckily, the injury wasn’t any worse than that.
What’s next for the Atlanta Braves?
The Atlanta Braves are in admirable form. Barring the humiliating loss to the Mets, August has been a great month for them. After the Mets’ series, they won five consecutive series and clean-swept three of them. The Braves are currently standing at the number 2 position in the East Division of the National League, just behind the Mets.
Will they be able to cover the margin and qualify for the post-season directly or will the Braves require the wild card berth?
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Edited by
Vibhanshu Kumar