Texas Rangers Starter Gray Exits Astros Game After Hit By Line Drive

Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray was making his third start of the season but left after taking a baseball to the right forearm in the third inning.

Texas Rangers pitcher Jon Gray left the game in the bottom of the third inning against the Houston Astros on Saturday after taking a 109.3-mph line drive off the right forearm.

Gray hadn’t allowed a hit going into the top of the third as he faced the Astros’ Yainer Diaz. He hit a comebacker right to Gray, and the baseball hit Gray’s right forearm as he was completing his follow through.

Gray was in immediate pain for several minutes and worked with Rangers trainer Chris Lucero, who conducted strength tests on the right arm. Gray then threw about five or six warm-up pitches, did another strength test with Lucero and then exited the game.

Cole Ragans came into replace Gray. After the game, The Dallas Morning News reported that Gray was not expected to miss a start and that the pitcher believed he had broken his arm after what happened.

Gray was 1-1 going into the game and was making his third start of the season. He was coming off an 8-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, a game in which he was upset with the three walks he gave up.

Still, he received more than enough run support to claim the victory and nearly threw six innings.

Gray missed time last season with a couple of different injuries. In May, he dealt with a knee injury that required him to wear a brace for a few starts. In August, he injured his oblique and missed nearly two months of the season.

The Rangers are expected to start Andrew Heaney on Sunday before going to Kansas City for a three-game series that starts on Monday. The Rangers expect to start Jacob deGrom in the opener.

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