Seattle, WA- Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker underwent brain surgery on Sunday night after being hit in the head by a line drive. Shoemaker sustained a fractured skull in the second inning of Sunday’s matchup with the Seattle Mariners.
Matt Shoemaker Undergoes Surgery on Skull
Shoemaker was struck in the right half of his head after Kyle Seager hit a line drive back at the Angels pitcher. Seager’s hit was tracked at 105-mph off his bat. Shoemaker was examined on the field and was responsive. According to the LA Times, he was taken to Harborview Medical Center where a CT scan revealed a fractured skull and hematoma. A second scan later revealed that the bleeding hadn’t stopped, which prompted them to take him into surgery. He will remain in Seattle until the team feels he can go back to Anaheim. Shoemaker and his wife are awaiting the arrival of their second child as well.
Shoemaker is quite the success story. An undrafted pitcher out of Eastern Michigan University, he was offered a free agent contract from the Angels in 2008 after impressing scouts in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. He slowly worked his way through the minor leagues, getting his first big league call-up in 2013. Shoemaker made the 2014 Angels roster as a bullpen arm, later moving to the rotation. He finished second for Rookie of the Year.
Shoemaker’s career record with the Angels is 32-27, with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. This season, Shoemaker is 9-13 with a 3.88 ERA in 160 innings. He leads the Angels staff with 143 strikeouts and 1.23 WHIP. It’s safe to say he won’t pitch again this season, and the Angels will miss their ace. The Angels are not in playoff contention this year, and their September push focuses on not finishing last in the AL West.
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