Seattle Mariners right-handed pitcher Emerson Hancock was pulled from Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning after sustaining an injury to his pitching hand.
The trouble began in the bottom of the first inning when leadoff batter Yandy Diaz hit a hard ball directly back toward Hancock, who caught it with his bare hand. Despite the contact, Hancock finished the play and continued on the mound, retiring the first five batters he faced without issue.
However, in the second inning, after issuing a walk to Victor Mesa Jr. with two outs, Hancock gestured toward the dugout to indicate he could not keep pitching. Relief pitcher Jose A. Ferrer was brought in to finish out the inning.
Hancock, 27, had been one of the more reliable arms in the Seattle rotation this year, compiling a 6-4 record and a 3.17 earned run average across 18 starts. Over 99 and one-third innings pitched, he has recorded 94 strikeouts while walking just 25 batters.
