Gruesome, bloody finger forces Trevor Bauer out of ALCS Game 3
Cleveland Indians pitcher threw 21 pitches before exiting
The Blue Jays were hoping a drone injury might be just the "circumstance" the Toronto Blue Jays needed to shake up the ALCS.
But after a 4-2 loss to Cleveland in Game 3 of the ALCS, it's the Jays who are hurting.
Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer, originally scheduled to pitch Game 2 on Saturday, injured his pinkie repairing his drone last week, forcing the team to push him back to Game 3 on Monday.
But the extra days' rest weren't enough to prevent the wound from becoming a gruesome, gushing mess on the mound.
OK. This was pretty gnarly. (via <a href="https://twitter.com/Shauncore">@Shauncore</a>) <a href="https://t.co/g6tsSPojwe">pic.twitter.com/g6tsSPojwe</a>
—@JeffPassanMLB rules state that a pitcher cannot attach anything to either hand, including tape or glue, so Bauer started the game with just 11 stitches to hold his finger together.
Trevor Bauer's hand injury that came from fixing his drone is no joke <a href="https://t.co/QOPCS8NzSt">pic.twitter.com/QOPCS8NzSt</a>
—@darrenrovellTrevor Bauer's finger looks like something Hannibal Lecter got a hold of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALCS?src=hash">#ALCS</a>
—@eboland11Bauer threw 21 pitches with the injured hand, including one 95 mph fastball.
Trevor Bauer's finger injury looks as bad as others described after they saw the picture Friday. Amazing that he's even able to pitch.
—@Buster_ESPNPretty amazing Trevor Bauer was able to throw 95 MPH with an open gushing wound on his finger.
—@darenwBut it quickly became apparent that Bauer wasn't going to make it out of the first inning, no matter how hard he tried to make it seem like everything was okay.
Just a flesh wound. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bauer?src=hash">#Bauer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RallyTogether?src=hash">#RallyTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/BDYka9viD1">https://t.co/BDYka9viD1</a>
—@Reflog_18Bauer, shaking his head while being tended to on the mound, just yelled a word that begins with F and rhymes with truck.
—@ZackMeisel"When I went out there, I mean — first thing I saw was blood on the rubber," Cleveland manager Terry Francona told the Canadian Press. "I figured that wasn't a real good sign that things were going well. It was bleeding pretty good."
"There was kind of a puddle forming below him on the mound," added second baseman Jason Kipnis.
I think Francona subliminally gives camera the middle finger <a href="https://t.co/t7kyzc7SKo">pic.twitter.com/t7kyzc7SKo</a>
—@sweetlou43Trevor Bauer's pinky, Terry Francona's middle. <a href="https://t.co/bymKxx2rjU">https://t.co/bymKxx2rjU</a>
—@JeffPassanBauer issued two walks, had one strikeout and threw nine of his 21 pitches for strikes before exiting.
He was replaced by right-hander Dan Otero.
"It was all scabbed up. It just started bleeding today," Bauer explained to the Canadian Press. "Lot of bleeding throughout the [warmup]. It hadn't been bleeding for two days, which was nice, but I guess the scab scratched or whatever."
"That was the loudest standing ovation I've ever gotten after an outing," he joked. "I guess I enjoyed the claps and them cheering since I was injured."
The injury quickly drew comparisons to Curt Schilling's bloody sock in the 2004 ALCS, the result of a torn tendon. Schilling would pitch through the injury and help his Red Sox win Game 6 of the series, en route to a come-from-behind series victory over the New York Yankees and later, the World Series title.
Please don't tweet at me about Bauer.He cost himself a start, likely more, AND his teammates, and fans, dicking around with a drone. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stupid?src=hash">#stupid</a>
—@gehrig38indians gotta win the world series so we can finally replace curt schilling as the most important bleeding pitcher in baseball history
—@LahlahlindseyBut when it comes to wounded heroics, not much compares to Kirk Gibson's dramatic game-winning home run in the 1988 World Series on two injured legs.