How Severe is Oakland Athletics 3B Scott Sizemore’s Hand Injury?

Oakland Athletics third baseman Scott Sizemore injured his hand after being beaned by a wild pitch Sunday afternoon and was forced to leave the game against the Colorado Rockies. The concern instantly was how serious is Sizemore’s injury?

The 28-year-old missed the entire 2012 Major League Baseball season after he tore the ACL in his left knee in Spring Training last year. Obviously, the first thing that must have come to his mind after being hit by a pitch was if his 2013 season would be in jeopardy as well.

Sizemore underwent medical tests on his left hand Monday morning and thankfully, the X-rays came back negative showing no broken bones. A sigh of relief could be felt throughout the entire organization as Sizemore is expected to be a big part of the team this year.

“Obviously good news,” Sizemore said. “I don’t know when I’ll be back in there. We’re trying to get the swelling and inflammation out of it.”

The right-handed hitter “was having trouble gripping a bat” and was removed from the game in between innings after playing defense in the bottom of the third.  The fact that he was able to stand at second base for an entire half-inning is remarkable considering how much pain he was in.

Sizemore will not suit up for Tuesday’s game and it could be several days before he sees the field again. Of course, this is all for precautionary reasons because there is no point in pushing it considering it is only exhibition games that he will be missing.

The second-year player, who was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Athletics in May of last year, says the pain “is not too bad,” but he obviously has not used his hand much since suffering the injury in an effort to avoid any more potential damage.

“I picked a bat up (Sunday) just to see if I could attempt to swing. It was really sore. I probably need a couple of days rest, hopefully.”

Oakland’s Michael Choice and Daric Barton were also hit by pitches right before Sizemore in the third inning. The Athletics were able to score three of their first four runs when the bases were loaded because of the unusual circumstance.