Indians right fielder Josh Naylor suffered a closed fracture and dislocation of his right ankle during Sunday’s game in Minnesota, and will be evaluated by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Mark Berkowitz at the Cleveland Clinic later this week to determine the extent of the injury and next steps, which the team says includes a “timetable for operative intervention.”
The Indians released that update on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after Naylor was involved in a scary collision with second baseman Ernie Clement while the two chased a pop fly in the fourth inning of Cleveland’s eventual 8-2 loss to the Twins at Target Field.
Naylor writhed in pain in the outfield as trainers rushed out to assist him, and according to the team, the ankle was immediately reduced on the field – he was carted off with his right leg in an air cast – and Naylor was taken to a local hospital for immediate evaluation.
"It's hard," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "You saw the way he reacted. It's hard to not react to that. Everybody's certainly thinking about him.”
The Indians came back to Cleveland after the game, but Naylor and head athletic trainer James Quinlan remained in Minneapolis for observation and pain management, and will travel back to Cleveland on Monday.
Clement, who was playing just his seventh game in the majors, suffered a cut on his chin, but remained in the game although he was visibly shaken by the results of the collision.
"He could have been on the receiving end, but he came out of it with just a cut on his chin," Francona said. "But he felt terrible and it wasn't his fault, but he felt terrible. He's a great kid."
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