Gus Varland hit by 105 mph Manny Machado liner in scary scene

Publish date: 2024-07-25

Brewers rookie relief pitcher Gus Varland was struck by a 105 mph line drive off the bat of Padres star Manny Machado on Saturday — and somehow seemed to escape without a major injury.

Varland, 26, threw a hanging slider in the bottom of the eighth inning in San Diego, and Machado mashed the ball right back at Varland, who collapsed to the ground as Machado was thrown out at first.

Varland managed to get his right hand up to block some of the ball, which did hit part of his jaw, and he managed to get back up quickly before taking a knee.

While he was removed from the game, X-rays were negative and Varland spoke to reporters afterward.

“I’m more mad about that slider location,” Varland told reporters. “It felt good out of my hand, it just didn’t get there. It came back at me, hit my hand and my chin and my left forearm. It just kind of rocked me a little bit. I felt fine though. I felt like I could have kept going but I think that’s the adrenaline talking there.”

Varland was charged with an unearned run in his appearance, which lasted ⅔ of an inning.

In six appearances for the Brewers this season, Varland has allowed two earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 6 ⅔ innings while striking out four.

Brewers reliever Gus Varland was hit by a 105 mph line drive off the bat of the Padres’ Manny Machado in the eighth inning on April 15, 2023. AP
Gus Varland was tended to by the Brewers training staff after being hit by the Manny Machado line drive on April 15, 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The Brewers removed Gus Varland from Saturday’s game after he was struck by a line drive. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

The Brewers picked Varland in the Rule 5 Draft in December and he made the big league club out of spring training.

He spent the past two seasons pitching for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Tulsa after they acquired him from the Athletics in a 2021 trade.

“It was a complete shock,” Varland said in March of making the team, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I went numb all over my body. I didn’t really know how to react. It was an unbelievable experience.”

The Padres led 8-3 at the time Varland left Saturday’s game and went on to win 10-3 after dropping the first two games of the series to Milwaukee.

The four-game set finishes Sunday afternoon.

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