Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella left Tuesday night’s game in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers after fouling a pitch off his right knee in the sixth inning.
La Stella, just two days after being named an All-Star for the first time in his career, fell to the ground after hitting his knee on a foul ball on a pitch from Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc.
La Stella stayed on the dirt at home plate for several minutes, in apparent excruciating pain, before he was helped off the field without the ability to bear weight on the leg.
A career .264 hitter coming into this season with 10 home runs in his first five major league seasons, La Stella began the night hitting batting .304 with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. He went 0-for-3 before he was injured.
Justin Bour replaced La Stella to finish the at-bat and inherited a full count. Bour hit a two-run single to right field on the first pitch he saw to extend the Angels’ lead to 6-3. Andrelton Simmons then pinch ran for Bour and remained in the game to play shortstop, moving Luis Rengifo over to second base in La Stella’s absence.
La Stella played one season with the Atlanta Braves and four seasons with the Chicago Cubs. The Angels acquired him last November from the Cubs in a trade for minor leaguer Conor Lillis-White.