Toronto's Tulowitzki cracks shoulder blade in collision with Pillar
Toronto shortstop Troy Tulowitzki cracked his left shoulder blade in the opener of the Blue Jays' doubleheader opener against the New York Yankees during a second-inning collision with center fielder Kevin Pillar.
Toronto said Tulowitzki, whose July acquisition from Colorado helped spark Toronto's late-season spurt, will be monitored for the next week for the Blue Jays to determine a timetable for his return. The Blue Jays said he will speak about the injury Sunday.
Tulowitzki backpedaled into short center to catch Didi Gregorius' popup with two outs. After Tulowitzki caught the ball, he was hit from behind by Pillar.
Tulowitzki at first held the ball and transferred it to his right hand as he collided with Pillar, then seemed to be stunned and fell to the field as the ball rolled out of his hand. Tulowitzki was attended to by a trainer and walked off on his own Saturday, although with a limp.
"I don't think he anticipated me coming," Pillar said. "I couldn't feel any worse about it. It's probably the worst thing I've ever experienced on the field."
After saying X-rays of his rib and chest were negative, the Blue Jays said he would have an MRI. During the nightcap, Toronto said he sustained a small crack to his scapula and upper back muscle bruising.
"We'll probably have a little better idea in a few days how long," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.
Winning pitcher Marcus Stroman wondered whether Tulowitzki will play again this year.
"I'm sure he's got it in his head that he's going to do everything in his power to make it back," Stroman said. "I know that even if he's not back, he'll be with us in spirit and he'll be cheering us on."
