Jose Miranda leaves game after getting hit in the head by 95 mph pitch

Thankfully he was able to walk off the field under his own power.

Minnesota Twins third baseman Jose Miranda left Sunday's game after getting hit in the head by a pitch.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Jose Miranda left Sunday's game after getting hit in the head by a pitch. | Michael Reaves/GettyImages

A scary moment unfolded in Detroit on Sunday when Minnesota Twins third baseman Jose Miranda needed to leave the game after getting hit in the head by a pitch.

In the top of the first inning, Miranda was struck on the side of the head by a 95 mph fastball from Alex Faedo. He was down for a considerable amount of time as trainers rushed out to work on him, but thankfully he was able to walk off under his own power.

Austin Martin entered the game to replace Miranda, who was in the lineup at third base.

Jose Miranda leaves Sunday's game after getting hit in the head by pitch

It was just Miranda's second game back from a stint on the IL, one that came after he went on a historic heater at the plate.

The good news is that the pitch appeared to hit the chin flap on Miranda's helmet, and it wasn't nearly as bad as what happened to Kyle Farmer last year against the White Sox. It was still a terrifying moment, a tough break for a player who the Twins were hoping would help inject some more offense into the lineup.

Miranda had done exactly that, helping Minnesota's offense surge at the end of the first half with a record-setting hitting streak. He reached base in 12 straight at-bats, something no other Twins hitter had ever done before and only a very select few players in baseball history had done.

It was a truly special streak for more than just the obviousness of history. Miranda fell on tough times last year, with a combination of poor play and injuries setting up what looked like a scenario where he didn't fit into the team's future plans.

That all changed rapidly this season, as Miranda has firmly established himself as an everyday piece of Minnesota's lineup and a key piece of the young core. The fact that he was able to walk off on his own is massively positive, and is hopefully a sign that this looked far more serious than it ended up being.

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