A Bad Throw To First Forced Niko Goodrum To Send A Flying Knee Into Marwin Gonzalez's Face

Detroit’s Niko Goodrum and Minnesota’s Marwin Gonzalez were unable to continue playing in the Tigers-Twins game on Friday after a collision at first base forced both players to leave the field with separate injuries.

In the bottom of the sixth, Goodrum was forced into the air when Tigers pitcher Tyson Ross made an errant throw to first that was way above his teammate’s head. As Goodrum went up, his right leg flew up with him and his knee smacked Gonzalez’s head right as the hustling Twins player got to first base. Both players were immediately knocked to the ground. Goodrum was able to stand shortly afterwards—though he walked with a limp—while Gonzalez stayed down for a short while before ultimately getting up under his own power.

Gonzalez was able to pass concussion protocol and avoid any serious injury from the play. He was diagnosed with “only” a facial contusion and even tried to get back in the game before the coaching staff removed him from the lineup, according to MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park. Gonzalez said after the game that he initially thought that the pitcher had hit him with the throw and didn’t realize the impact came from Goodrum until he saw the first baseman also on the ground in pain. He also added his biggest concern was the state of his face.

“I was hoping that my face was OK, that it wasn’t broken,” Gonzalez said. “I took my time to answer [head athletic trainer] Tony [Leo] when he got there. I was breathing hard for 10 seconds, and I figured I was OK.”

As for Goodrum, the Tigers later diagnosed with him a right knee contusion. Both players are set for reevaluation sometime this morning, and this post will be updated if any major diagnostic changes are made.