Baseball: Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka Struck down in terrifying moment

New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Photo / Photosport

Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka suffered a frightening injury during the team's first official summer camp workout.

Tanaka had faced several batters following the three-month lay-off due to the Covid-19 pandemic, before taking a line drive to the right side of his head off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton.

The 31-year-old collapsed to the ground at Yankee Stadium and stayed down for at least five minutes.

Masahiro Tanaka just got hit by a line drive by Giancarlo Stanto pic.twitter.com/bZGNJiaNGK

— adry torres (@AdryTorresNYC) July 4, 2020

Trainers tended to his head and appeared to check his vision before he was helped to his feet.

The Yankees later confirmed in a statement Tanaka was "alert, responsive and walking under his own power." He was sent to NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital for further evaluation and testing.

The YES Network broadcast reported there was no net in front of the mound, as there typically is during batting practice, due to it being a simulated game.

A net, however, was brought out after the Tanaka incident.

This is hands down one of the worst things to see in sports; hope Tanaka’s okay.

Also, hopefully - in the not too far off future- pitchers will have to wear some type of head protection. https://t.co/y5qS30Vkax

— Phil Sanchez (@PhilSanchezTV) July 4, 2020

Giancarlo Stanton immediately crouched in anguish when Masahiro Tanaka was struck by a comebacker on the right side of his head. He has been on the other side of a similar situation.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 4, 2020

Aaron Hicks on Masahiro Tanaka getting hit: "It sucks to see something like that, especially during something as simple as a sim game. That’s one of those things where, as soon as you step on the field, anything can happen."

— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) July 4, 2020