A scary scene unfolded Wednesday in Major League Baseball (MLB) as first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was hit in the head by a line drive and forced to leave the game.
The incident occurred at the top of the 7th inning of the Twins-Mets game when New York’s Tyrone Taylor scorched a pitch down the first base line, which caught first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt on the side of the head.
Players, umpires, and medical staff immediately raced to Wendelstedt’s aid.
Thankfully, Wendelstedt was able to get to his feet and walk off the field, though with some aid from others. No official word has been given on the umpire’s condition, though after the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he heard Wendelstedt was “fine.”
Baseball umpires on the first and third base lines do not wear helmets. After his incident, it’s fair to suspect there will be calls to revisit that policy. In the past, many have objected to allowing the umps to wear helmets out of fear that it will obscure their vision.
