A Pirates player was scratched from Wednesday’s game against the Mets after an extremely bizarre and unlikely scenario.
Joey Bart, the former No. 2 overall Giants pick whom the Pirates acquired in a trade earlier this month, recently got struck in the head by a home run ball during batting practice while he was catching in the bullpen.
Bart, 27, was feeling OK until shortly before first pitch Wednesday, and he was removed from the lineup.
“So, this is very strange,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “He got hit in the head the other day catching in the bullpen — from a home run during batting practice. We thought he was fine. He came in today. He felt fine. Then, as we got closer to game time, he didn’t feel as well. So I just pulled him out of an abundance of caution, just because he didn’t feel very well.”
Henry Davis, the No. 1 overall pick by the Pirates in the 2021 draft, replaced Bart behind the plate for Pittsburgh’s 9-1 loss at Citi Field, which completed a three-game Mets sweep.
Bart struggled in the major leagues with the Giants, slashing .219/.288/.335 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs in 503 plate appearances across parts of four seasons.
He was the third catcher on the Giants’ Opening Day roster but was quickly designated for assignment before being traded to the Pirates for right-hander Austin Strickland.
In his first three games with the Pirates, Bart went 4-for-10 with two home runs, 5 RBIs, a double, three walks and three strikeouts.
He last played Sunday against the Phillies.
