A line drive struck Milwaukee Brewers reliever Gus Varland in the face during Saturday's game against the San Diego Padres.
Varland, who entered the contest for Milwaukee in the bottom of the eighth, couldn't get out of the way of Manny Machado's 105-mph liner. Varland picked himself up off the ground before the trainers examined him and left the field under his own power.
Scary play. Wishing the best for Gus Varland pic.twitter.com/h9QIKmdq8W
— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) April 15, 2023
Following the Brewers' 10-3 loss, manager Craig Counsell said Varland's X-rays came back negative. He added that the 26-year-old deflected the liner with his right hand moments before it struck his face.
"It hit him in the right hand worse, and then he got his hand up, and it glanced off his jaw," Counsell said, per Bally Sports Wisconsin. "But the back of his right hand probably got the worst of it."
Varland was in good spirits while speaking to reporters postgame, saying he was "more mad about the slider location," according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
"I felt like I could have kept going, but I think that's the adrenaline talking there," Varland added.
The Brewers selected Varland in the Rule 5 Draft this winter after he pitched in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization last year. He made the team out of spring training and has put up a 2.70 ERA with four strikeouts and two walks over six outings this season.
