Edwin Encarnacion avoids serious injury after stomach-turning ankle roll

Mark Townsend
·Yahoo Sports Contributor
Indians' star Edwin Encarnacion is carried off the field after rolling his ankle at second base in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS. (AP)
Indians’ star Edwin Encarnacion is carried off the field after rolling his ankle at second base in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS. (AP)

A wild first inning in Cleveland ended with a painful scene that could put a damper on the Indians postseason excitement. Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion had to be helped off the field after rolling his right ankle in a stomach-turning manner at second base.

Encarnacion was attempting to hustle back to the base after Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius snagged a soft line drive off Jay Bruce’s bat. As he arrived, his toe caught the bag and his ankle buckled as his weight came down on it. He immediately went down in a heap.

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Here’s a look at the injury. We might advise you skip it if you have a weak stomach.

The Indians quickly announced that Encarnacion was undergoing an evaluation for a right ankle sprain. He was spotted leaving the ballpark soon after, but was reportedly day-to-day after an MRI didn’t reveal any significant damage. It still not likely we’ll see him again in the ALDS. The Indians came back to win 9-8 in 13 innings on Friday, and could wrap up the series on Sunday in New York.

Encarnacion has been a huge addition to the Indians lineup after signing a three-year, $60 million deal over the winter. He hit .258 with 38 homers and 107 RBIs during the regular season. Encarnacion was replaced in the lineup by Michael Brantley. The oft-injured outfielder is reportedly healthy now and could fill the DH role if needed.

Encarnacion reached base after being hit by a CC Sabathia pitch. He was ruled out at second base after replay confirmed he came off the base after falling to the ground. That result added insult to injury. The Indians settled for two runs in the inning, which tied the score after Gary Sanchez’s two-run home run.

We’ll have an update on Encarnacion’s condition when it’s available.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!