The Giants have dealt with their fare share of nightmare scenarios this season, and on Sunday night in Washington, D.C., they almost had to deal with another.
In the top half of the fourth inning of their contest against the Nationals on Sunday evening, Giants’ second baseman Joe Panik took a throw from the outfield to the face as he attempted to score the game’s go-ahead run.
Hunter Pence drives in a run, but Joe Panik takes a hit to the face sliding into home and exits the game. pic.twitter.com/FvNd5OkDWO
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 14, 2017
With San Francisco trailing 1-0 in the top half of the fourth inning, Giants’ right fielder Hunter Pence singled up the middle to score leadoff hitter Denard Span. Panik began the play on second base, and he too attempted to cross home plate on the play.
However, a throw from Nationals’ center fielder Michael Taylor to the plate caromed off of Panik’s face and into the glove of catcher Matt Wieters, whose glove remained in position to tag Panik out on the helmet.
More angles of the hit Panik took to the head that forced him to exit this game ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/JqfxuMtVhT
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 14, 2017
Panik has been hot at the plate all weekend, as he homered in the first inning of Saturday evening’s ballgame and recorded his seventh three-hit game of the season in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader.
Despite receiving medical attention from Giants’ trainer Dave Groeschner, Panik remained in the game in the bottom half of the inning and played second base.