Watch: Miami Marlins 3B coach Jody Reed suffers fractured leg after being hit by rogue foul ball
Catastrophe struck the Miami Marlins during Wednesday's clash against the St. Louis Cardinals when third base coach Jody Reed suffered a broken leg after being hit by a foul ball.
Reed was stationed on the sidelines in his position as third base coach at the top of the third inning before he found himself in the line of firie. The incident unfolded when Miami batter Jesus Sanchez fouled off Dakota Hudson’s pitch.
Unfortunately for Reed, the ball found its way to him, striking him flush on his lower right leg. The former MLB player tried to shake off the injury but had to leave the field for treatment by the medical team.
Reed did not return, with Griffin Benedict, Marlins quality-control coach, taking his place as the team’s third-base coach.
The former Red Sox player's injury turned out to be severe as X-rays revealed a fractured bone in his right leg due to the impact.
“I’m pretty sure he broke his leg,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. "He had X-rays, and the doctor said it was broke, so we’ll see how long he’s out for, unfortunately."
Reed spent 11 seasons in the MLB as a player, representing the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers. This is his first season as a coach and fielding instructor for the Marlins.
Skip Schumaker concedes frustration after Miami Marlins sixth consecutive loss
The Miami Marlins succumbed to their sixth straight loss, falling 6-4 to the Cardinals on Wednesday. It was their second successive three-game series sweep loss, succeeding the previous series defeat against the Baltimore Orioles.
"It was a frustrating road trip. No doubt about it,” Schumaker said. "That's not what we envisioned when we came back (from the All-Star break).”
The home team raced to a four-run lead in the first inning after a three-run homer from second baseman Nolan Gorman. He added an RBI single in the seventh as the Cardinals prevailed at Busch Stadium.
Schumaker's team occupies third place in the NL East behind the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. The Marlins will next be up against NL West bottom-dwellers Colorado Rockies in a three-game home series.