Rays’ Hunter Bigge ‘in good spirits,’ still in hospital after foul ball to face

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Hunter Bigge remains hospitalized after taking a foul ball to the face while seated in the dugout during Thursday’s game, but team officials received some encouraging news Friday as early medical evaluations offered positive signs.

Rays manager Kevin Cash and president of baseball operations Erik Neander visited Bigge on Friday and shared an update prior to Tampa Bay’s home game against the Detroit Tigers.

“Getting to see Hunter and talk to him, he was in good spirits,” Cash told reporters. “Not a ton of information other than that. But for me personally, witnessing and watching what took place (Thursday), to see how he was today, and being able to interact, things were heading in a really good direction.”

Bigge, who’s currently on the injured list with a lat strain, was sitting on the benches at the front of the dugout when he was struck on the right side of his face by a foul ball off the bat of Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman during the seventh inning. He had to be taken out of the dugout on a stretcher but gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was loaded on the medical cart.

“It’s a horrifying thing to have happen,” Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said. “But definitely gotten some good news from the staff and guys that have been able to stop by and go see him. What we’re hearing is fantastic news for how scary the incident was last night.”

After starting his major league career with the Chicago Cubs last season, Bigge was traded to the Rays in July. In 32 total big-league games (including one start), Bigge is 0-0 with a 2.51 ERA and one save.

–Field Level Media