Cleveland outfielder Josh Naylor avoided a full-on collision with second baseman Ernie Clement on Sunday. But the worst was yet to come.
As the two teammates rushed to catch a check-swing blooper by Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco, Naylor spun to avoid the impact. His lower leg got caught under him as he fell, and his ankle twisted and snapped. Several outlets described the injury as “gruesome.”
“Everybody’s certainly thinking about him,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona told reporters afterward, as seen above. “He’ll be in the best care possible.”
On Monday Cleveland confirmed the obvious: Naylor had dislocated and fractured his ankle.
Naylor was expected to return to Cleveland Monday to see a specialist for further examination, Reuters reported.
Naylor, 24, was hitting .253 with 7 home runs and 21 RBIs. The Twins won, 8-2.
Here’s a slow-motion replay, but be warned that it’s TOUGH TO WATCH: