MINNEAPOLIS — Silence blanketed Target Field on Sunday as Cleveland’s Josh Naylor flailed in pain after a collision in right field.
A fly ball by Jorge Polanco was coming down in shallow right field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Second baseman Ernie Clement was tracking backwards as right fielder Naylor was charging in. Neither were able to get out of the way and a brutal collision sent Naylor airborne. When he landed, his right foot appeared to have gotten stuck under his body weight in the wrong direction.
Naylor immediately started rolling on the ground, pointed for help and swiped his hand across his throat indicating he was severely injured.
The injury and aftermath were very difficult to watch.
Paramedics joined the Indians’ medical staff out in right field, immediately getting him in an apparatus that looked like an air cast. He was lifted onto a stretcher and put on a cart to remove him from the field.
Outfielder Bradley Zimmer came out of the dugout to take center field, allowing Harold Ramirez to shift over and fill in at Naylor’s spot in right.
The Indians have not yet released any further details on the injury.