Tampa Bay Rays utility man Logan Forsythe was apologetic following Saturday’s game.
Forsythe elbowed Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia in the head on a play at second base in the bottom of the second inning. Pedroia, who looked visibly woozy, exited the game and, according to Red Sox manager John Farrell, experienced concussion-like symptoms.
“As soon as I was sliding, I saw Dustin coming back with the tag. All I did was I lifted up my right arm and I think that my elbow kind of caught him right here on the side of the head,” Forsythe said after Tampa Bay’s 7-0 win. “It was a hustle play, and, I mean, I hate it for him. I hope he’s doing all right.”
Forsythe tagged up and took second base on Ryan Hanigan’s second-inning sacrifice fly. While diving head-first into the bag, Forsythe lifted his right arm in an apparent swim move attempt. He clipped Pedroia near the temple, sending the Boston second baseman to the ground. Pedroia immediately motioned toward the Red Sox’s dugout and exited the game moments later.
“I don’t know how bad he was, but it takes a lot for that guy to come out of the game,” Forsythe said. “I hate that it happened, but I hope that he’s all right.”
Tempers have flared between the Red Sox and Rays several times this season, so Forsythe’s play immediately raised some eyebrows, especially given the weird nature in which he raised his right arm. Forsythe denied there being any intent whatsoever, though, and it’s pretty apparent that Pedroia simply was victimized by a hard-nosed baseball play.
“Absolutely not,” Forsythe told reporters in St. Petersburg when asked if he struck Pedroia on purpose. “I’m definitely not that kind of player. The only move that I made was to try to swim move the tag to get out of the way. It was a bang-bang play, and the way he came down, too — it was a hard play.”
It’s unclear at this point whether Pedroia will be forced to the seven-day concussion disabled list because of the injury, but the Red Sox intend to monitor him closely to ensure all symptoms subside before he returns to action.
