BALTIMORE -- Though the Twins extended their winning streak to 11 games on Thursday afternoon -- topping the O’s, 4-0, in the finale to sweep the season series -- it came at a cost.
Both shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton, two mainstays of Minnesota’s lineup, exited and were then placed in concussion protocol after they collided on a flyout in shallow center field in the bottom of the third inning.
Correa left immediately, following a lengthy injury delay as both players were attended to. He was replaced in the batting order by Jonah Bride, who took over at first base while Kody Clemens moved to second base and Brooks Lee moved to shortstop.
Buxton finished the inning in center field, but he was replaced in the order in the top of the fourth by Ty France, who stepped in at first base. For the bottom of the fourth, Bride moved to second base and Clemens to right field. Willi Castro moved from right to left field and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. moved into center field from right.
The collision occurred when Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins hit a fly ball toward center. Correa ranged backward while Buxton ran in to make the play. Buxton made the catch, but neither player was able to change direction fast enough to avoid a collision, with Buxton’s front colliding with Correa’s back.
Both remained on the ground a while, laying flat on their backs with their knees in the air as the trainers ran onto the field. The trainers took their time to make sure that the pair -- both of whom have dealt with their fair share of injuries over their careers -- was OK.
Buxton seemed rattled and in pain -- as did Correa -- but after catching his breath and shaking off the collision, he finished the bottom of the inning before retreating down the tunnel to the clubhouse and the training room.
Mere moments before the collision, Buxton hit a home run to go back-to-back with Keirsey in the top of the frame, putting the Twins ahead, 3-0. It was Buxton’s 143rd career home run, tying him with Joe Mauer for the 15th-most all-time in Twins history.
The potential concussions, and the time the pair could miss as a result, are concerning. Brain injuries of any kind are not to be messed with, as seen two years ago when then-Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome three months after a collision. The undiagnosed concussion and resulting impairment left him struggling at the plate and the field for months before receiving the diagnosis.
It’s also concerning given the pair’s equally turbulent relationship with the injury list over their combined 22 years in the Majors -- particularly after Correa was scratched from the lineup on Sunday to give him a day to rest. He ended up having three days off, with Monday’s off-day and Tuesday’s rainout.
Correa had two stints on the IL last year, resulting in him playing just 86 games. He was on the injured list from April 14-29 with a right oblique strain, before missing an extended stretch from July 20-Aug. 14 dealing with right plantar fascitis -- an injury that has popped up multiple times in his career.
Buxton, meanwhile, entered this season feeling the best he has in quite some time. The outfielder also spent two stretches on the IL last year, dealing with right knee inflammation from May 2-18, then right hip inflammation from Aug. 13-Sept. 14.