NEW YORK – As Matt Manning stumbled into the visitors’ clubhouse at Yankee Stadium on crutches, the reality of his situation was already beginning to set in.
In the first inning of his second straight start against the Bronx Bombers, Manning was hit in the same foot, just slightly higher, by Yankees starter Giancarlo Stanton, who launched his 400th career home run on Tuesday. Stanton’s rocket was launched at an exit velocity of 119.5 mph, according to Statcast, and made direct contact with Manning’s foot and then his butt before the pitcher caught him and threw him to first base for an out.
After allowing his first two batters to reach base, that one-liner — after a groundout from Yankees valuable call-up Jason Dominguez and a triple by Gleyber Torres — allowed Manning to escape a two-out jam. But when he raised his hands and bent down to watch the play, with head coach AJ Hench and the Tigers’ medical staff coming out to check on him, it was clear Manning’s night was over.
“Yes, when it happened, I was upset because it was the same foot. Basically in the same place,” Manning said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if it’s broken;’” Manning said. I hope that is not the case. You did the play, though, that’s great.
Manning walked off the field under his own power, but X-rays revealed it was actually another fracture. Thus ended the 2023 season.
“I feel for him, man, because he worked hard to get back. He was throwing the ball very well. He got through that inning, and unfortunately, he got the ball in the way,” Hinch said.
Stanton’s home run had the second-hardest exit velocity off any ball batted in the majors this season, behind only Ronald Acuña Jr.’s 121.2 mph home run for the Braves on Saturday. Naturally, this player only touched the nets behind the center field wall at Dodger Stadium.
Manning was replaced by reliever Beau Brieske to start the second half, turning the contest into another bullpen for the Tigers a day after taking that approach in the Series opener. Detroit used six more pitchers to beat Wednesday, with Briskey losing after allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.
“You can probably count on one hand the number of pitchers who have hurt their feet on line drives this season; he’s had it twice. That’s very unfortunate,” Hinch said. 119 [mph] Removing any part of your body is likely to put you on the injured list. … There’s not much you can do once you’ve made the delivery and the guy smokes the ball out of you. All you can do is hope the x-ray comes back negative. This did not happen.
It’s another blow in a youthful career filled with such troubles for Manning, who hasn’t completed a full season since making his Majors debut in June 2021. Last year, he struggled with a sore right shoulder and a right forearm strain.
Manning has made just 15 appearances this season, 13 of them since returning from his first break on June 27. However, he has been playing well whenever his number has been called, especially lately. He has allowed only one earned run (0.38 ERA) over his past four starts and has compiled 17 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings—the fifth-longest active streak in the major leagues—and entered Wednesday’s contest. He threw six scoreless innings in the Tigers’ 4-3 victory over the Yankees in Thursday’s final four-game game in Detroit.
That’s what he chose to stick to in the wake of yet another bizarre injury.
“I really think the most important thing right now is just to stay on the court,” Manning said. “When I pitch and throw, I’ve pitched really well the last few years. So it’s just a matter of having a little more luck on my side and staying in the field for a full season.”