Braves' Sean Newcomb 'feeling pretty good' after taking 102-mph liner to the head
Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb was in good spirits Saturday night just after being struck on the back of the head by a 102-mph line drive off the bat of Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto.
The 26-year-old left-hander spoke to the media following the Braves 6-5 loss to the Phillies, telling reporters that he was “feeling pretty good” despite taking an apparent direct hit.
Newcomb: "right away I felt pretty good. I was with it the whole time, I remember the whole play. I knew I was pretty good. I just obviously got squared up in the head so, it's sore" #Braves
— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) June 16, 2019
SunTrust Park in Atlanta grew silent as Newcomb was tended to by the Braves athletic training staff. The baseball hit Newcomb with such force that it landed in foul territory near third base. Realmuto was credited with a single.
After a few brief moments of discussion, Newcomb was able to leave the field under his own power. Braves manager Brian Snitker says the pitcher’s condition will continue to be monitored overnight.
Snit on Newcomb: "we're just going to keep monitoring him. He's got a mark on his head. Even when he was on the field, he's like "I know what happened"...hopefully we dodged a bullet" #Braves
— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) June 16, 2019
Newcomb was charged with two unearned runs in 2 2/3 innings.
He was making just his fourth start of the season after starting 50 games the last two seasons. The Braves have preferred deploying his arm as a late-inning reliever. It’s not clear what his role will be going forward, but he’s on record saying he prefers to start.
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