TAMPA -- Hunter Bigge was lying on the ground in the Rays’ dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field, tasting blood in his mouth and still in a daze after being struck in the face by a 105.1 mph foul ball. He wondered if he could move his body. He worried if his brain had been injured.
When Bigge was able to move his feet, he felt a little better. Then came another thought that helped ease his immediate panic.
“And I think the fact that I was worried about my brain -- I said, 'Oh, because I'm worried about my brain, my brain is probably OK,’” Bigge said Monday afternoon before cracking a smile. “I don't know if that's accurate or not.”
Subsequent scans revealed that Bigge had sustained multiple facial fractures, including a broken orbital bone, but he would make a full recovery. The 27-year-old reliever is heading in that direction and doing well, with only a few small scars to show for the terrifying incident.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since he was released from the hospital, Bigge said he is feeling “almost back to normal.” He’s able to eat most foods, sleep lying down, breathe without issue and even take part in light exercises. He has another doctor’s appointment set for Wednesday, but no further surgeries planned.
“Hopefully, that all goes well,” Bigge said. “Excited to start living a normal life again.”
Reflecting back on the night it happened, Bigge said he was coherent throughout the ordeal. He credited assistant athletic trainer Aaron Scott, head athletic trainer Joe Benge and the paramedics for their immediate assistance. He thanked the Rays community, including manager Kevin Cash and president of baseball operations Erik Neander, for their support.
Most of all, Bigge was grateful for the support of his wife, Casey, who has taken care of him over the past month; and his parents, who flew across the country to be with their son. They were at the forefront of his mind that night when he flashed a reassuring thumbs-up as he was carted off the field.
“I was thinking about my wife and my parents, pretty much,” Bigge said. “I just wanted to let them know that I was OK.”
Initially, Bigge’s primary concern was just returning to a normal, healthy life. Baseball was far from his mind. As time has passed, he has started to miss the game. Bigge watched a few innings of one game in Tampa Bay’s bullpen, and he has kept up with the team on TV.
Bigge doesn’t expect to sit along the dugout fence anytime soon, like he did that night, but he does want to get back in the dugout during a game at some point “just to mentally clear that hurdle.”
Bigge could start playing catch soon. The Rays aren’t ruling out a return this season, and he said pitching this year is his goal.
“I don't want to do anything that's going to cause more damage to my eye. Like, I want to be able to see for the rest of my life,” Bigge said. “But I think as long as I'm kind of checking boxes and slowly progressing, we'll kind of see how the next few months go. I would love to pitch again this year, for sure.”
Complicating matters somewhat, Bigge was on the injured list for different injuries at the time, so he still has to complete his recovery from those right lat/shoulder issues. But just seeing Bigge around the clubhouse, looking and acting like himself, has provided an emotional boost for the Rays.
“He looks really good, so I'm excited by that, first and foremost,” Cash said. “We've still got some different injuries to maintain, but I think everybody's happy that he's here in the building and looks like himself.”
Update on McClanahan
• Ace Shane McClanahan (nerve-related issue in left triceps) threw a 10-pitch bullpen session on Monday and felt “OK, nothing great,” Cash said. McClanahan is scheduled for another Triple-A rehab start on Thursday, but Cash said the Rays would see how he feels on Tuesday.