Brandon Lockridge Carted Off After His Knee Slammed Into Concrete Wall Chasing a Fly Ball

Milwaukee's Brandon Lockridge is heading to the sidelines after a terrifying collision Friday night. The Brewers left fielder was carted off the field during the team's 6-0 win over the Yankees after his right knee crashed into concrete at the base of the wall at American Family Field while he was chasing a fly ball in the fourth inning. Initial X-rays came back negative, but Lockridge suffered a deep laceration down to the bone. Manager Pat Murphy didn't sugarcoat it: "It's going to be a while."

The injury happened when Lockridge was attempting a sliding catch on Cody Bellinger's foul ball. He received immediate attention from head athletic trainer Brad Epstein, but he couldn't put any weight on his right leg. Lockridge will have to wait for the swelling to go down before the team can do an MRI and other testing. That means the Brewers are almost certainly going to have to make a roster move to add another outfielder before Saturday's game.

A Night Cut Short After a Hot Start

What made this injury even tougher is that the 29-year-old was already having a productive night. Lockridge's second-inning single produced the first of four Brewers runs in that frame. His teammates immediately felt the loss. "It was hard seeing a guy like that down in pain," Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick said. "That's the kind of player he is. That's the kind of teammate he is. Just playing with his butt on fire. He didn't even take the wall into account there; he was just trying to get an out."

Who Steps In Next?

The Brewers have some options to fill the gap. Blake Perkins is on the 40-man roster and eligible to be recalled, even though he was just optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Monday. The rule requiring an optioned player to stay down at least 10 days gets waived when he's replacing an injured player. Also in Nashville is Brewers prospect Luis Lara, who is off to a career-best start this season. The 21-year-old has a .937 OPS with seven home runs and 12 stolen bases, but he's not on the 40-man roster yet.

The whole clubhouse is hoping Lockridge recovers well. "All the credit in the world to him for going after that ball," Frelick said. "You understand the wall is there; it's not like you're ignoring it. But if you have a chance to make a play, it negates the thought of hitting the wall. That's the culture here. That's what's expected."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.