Blue Jays' Francisco Liriano has concussion, no timetable for return

The Blue Jays reliever had to leave ALDS Game 2 after a 102 mph liner hit him in the neck.

Blue Jays lefthander Francisco Liriano sustained a concussion when he was struck in the back of the head by Carlos Gomez’s line drive in Game 2 of the AL Division Series.

Trainer George Poulis said Liriano felt good after undergoing tests Saturday but that there is no timetable for his return. He has been replaced by Danny Barnes on the team’s roster before Sunday’s Game 3 in Toronto.

Liriano left after taking Gomez’s line drive, measured at 102 mph according to Statcast, off the neck. The ball deflected into rightfield, scoring Mitch Moreland to make the score 5–2.

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Afterward, Liriano was walking around, rubbing his neck, and had to be removed by the team’s trainer. He left the dugout to head to the clubhouse for examination and was taken into an ambulance on a stretcher with his neck in a brace.

The team said later Friday that Liriano had been cleared to fly home to Toronto with the team. ESPN reported “he was alert and looked like he was doing well,” and that Liriano texted friends and family to inform them that preliminary tests went smoothly.

Liriano had thrown just 17 pitches after coming on in relief of Jason Grilli. He allowed a run on two hits and was replaced by closer Roberto Osuna, who got the final five outs as Toronto won 5-3 to take a 2-0 series lead.

Liriano and Gomez were teammates in Minnesota and remain good friends. Gomez said he spoke to Liriano on the phone Friday night and was relieved to hear his friend was not seriously hurt.

Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis, who was scratched from Game 2 with a sore right knee, had an MRI Saturday morning. He is day-to-day with a bone bruise but has no structural damage.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.