Royals OF Brett Eibner Carted Off With Ankle Injury In 10-5 Win Over Rays

Kansas City rookie outfielder Brett Eibner was carted off with an apparent lateral sprain of his left ankle in the fifth inning of the Royals’ 10-5 home victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

Royals OF Brett Eibner Carted Off With Ankle Injury In 10-5 Win Over Rays

In the top of the fifth, the Royals were cruising toward a 10-5 win over the Rays when Eibner injured himself while chasing a triple by Rays shortstop Brad Miller, who hit a deep ball that banged off the wall in center-left field. Eibner retrieved the ball before pulling up lame and hitting the ground. He did not collide with a teammate or with the wall.

The Royals quickly ran over to surround their teammate. Eric Hosmer moved 270 feet from his position at first base. Paulo Orlando jogged over from right field. Lorenzo Cain stood on the edge of the pack, staring down while Eibner writhed in pain on the Kauffman Stadium turf.

“We wanted to go see what happened,” second baseman Whit Merrifield said after the game.

Kansas City manager Ned Yost and head trainer Nick Kenney rushed onto the field to attend to Eibner. Kenney examined the outfielder’s left foot, and shortly afterwards a cart from the right-field bullpen was brought in to remove him. In the moments after the game, Eibner emerged from the home clubhouse wearing a walking boot on his left foot. The team stated he would be evaluated more on Wednesday.

“It’s early in the process,” Yost said. “I don’t have any idea where we’re at, but we’re hoping it’s a sprain. But the MRI will tell us more tomorrow.”

Just four days earlier, Eibner, 27, had made his major league debut after six years and 541 games in the minor leagues. He had earned a double that Friday night in an 8-7 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The following day, he notched a bases-loaded, walk-off single in an epic seven-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Before his injury on Tuesday, Eibner doubled in the fourth to raise his average to .462.

Jarrod Dyson replaced Eibner in left field.

The Royals (29-22) are now first in the AL Central. They will host the Rays (22-28) again on Wednesday night for the finale of their three-game series.

PHOTO: KANSAS CITY, MO – MAY 31: Brett Eibner #12 of the Kansas City Royals bats during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium on May 31, 2016 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)