Right-hander Matt Shoemaker was involved in a frightening play on Sunday in which he was struck in the head by a 105 mph line drive off the bat of Kyle Seager. While he walked off the field with minimal assistance from the Angels’ training staff, Shoemaker was diagnosed with a small skull fracture and a hematoma and underwent surgery to stop the bleeding in his skull, writes Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Grave as that procedure sounds, Angels GM Billy Eppler downplayed the severity, calling the procedure “fairly routine” and telling Fletcher that Shoemaker is resting comfortably.
The Angels and Shoemaker’s doctors expect a full recovery for Shoemaker, though he almost certainly will not pitch again this year. Eppler told Fletcher that the team is counting on Shoemaker to be able to reclaim his spot in the rotation next season. With a 3.88 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 1.7 BB/9 and a 39.8 percent ground-ball rate through 160 innings, Shoemaker joins Ricky Nolasco and Tyler Skaggs as perhaps the only locks to slot into manager Mike Scioscia’s 2017 rotation (assuming a full recovery).
In the meantime, Tim Lincecum, Jhoulys Chacin and Brett Oberholtzer are the top candidates to step into the rotation for the remainder of the 2016 campaign. While that’s very much a secondary storyline to the overall health and well-being of Shoemaker, it’ll be interesting to see how his replacement ultimately fares — whichever of the three it might be. Lincecum and Chacin are both free agents at season’s end that would benefit from strong finishes, while Oberholtzer is out of minor league options and would undoubtedly like to improve his standing within the organization.
I don’t think anything to do with the skull and brain is “fairly routine”.
But nonetheless, speedy recovery Matt. That was really sickening to watch.
Yep, that was bad stuff. Surprised it doesn’t happen more often. Hope he has a quick recovery.
It’s routine for trauma center surgeons… compared to motorbike wrecks and gunshot wounds it’s fairly routine. But it’s still a brain bleed and a skull fracture. Which is very bad. Glad he seems to be OK for sure.
And the hits just keep on piling up for this bad luck team….
Wow, if I’m a pitcher for the Angels, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere near the mound. They’re cursed.
I hope he has a speedy recovery. My oldest son had brain surgery at the same hospital last summer and they did a great job.
Hope your son had a speedy and successful recovery bud.
I’m with Cam. Hope your son is well and glad to hear Shoemaker is in good hands.
Thank you both. He is doing great. They did a great job with him and saved his life.
Angels now have a full 5 man rotation plus most of a bullpen on the DL. Almost caught up to their SoCal rivals.
They cut a hole in his skull to stop bleeding on the brain and its “fairly routine”. WTH is he talking about. Surgeons never, and I mean NEVER, choose cutting open your skull unless its A-VERY serious and B- last resort. Way to many things can go wrong. Talk to any neurosurgeon and they are going to tell you the same thing. That they did the surgery meant his life was in danger.
That being said glad he is doing ok post surgery and Godspeed in his recovery. SCARY thing to watch and must have been even more frightening for his family. Prayers go out to them.
I pray for him and his family. God bless….