masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgANAHEIM, Calif. – Less than 24 hours since last night’s collision with third baseman Pedro Álvarez’s left arm, Orioles catcher Chance Sisco has soreness near his nose, but nothing worse.
No concussion, no cuts. Officially, he suffered a facial contusion. Pretty remarkable since the collision – as Sisco went running to chase a foul pop along third base – left him on the ground for several minutes looking like a boxer that had just been knocked out.
Sisco said today he is fine and available…

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Less than 24 hours since last night’s collision with third baseman Pedro Álvarez’s left arm, Orioles catcher Chance Sisco has soreness near his nose, but nothing worse.

No concussion, no cuts. Officially, he suffered a facial contusion. Pretty remarkable since the collision – as Sisco went running to chase a foul pop along third base – left him on the ground for several minutes looking like a boxer that had just been knocked out.

Sisco said today he is fine and available to play tonight. But he watched the replay and saw again how his face took a wicked shot inadvertently from Álvarez’s arm.

Sisco Throws Black Gear Sidebar.jpg“It was about as bad as it looked,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect watching the video, but it looked pretty rough. Yeah, pretty scary. Never really had something like that happen before. Just popup, went after it. Obviously, it’s tough to hear down there, so I didn’t really hear anything and Pedro gave me a nice little forearm. Got me in the nose and a little bit under my eye, but mostly the nose. I feel fine right now and ready to go.”

There is not even any swelling in the area.

“I thought there would be. Quick recovery I guess,” Sisco said.

Caleb Joseph is starting tonight versus lefty Andrew Heaney, but Sisco will be ready off the bench if needed. He did a few physical things today to make sure he would be good to go tonight.

“Yeah, I just walked around a little bit to try and get my heart rate up,” Sisco said. “Make sure there was no concussion symptoms this morning. All set. I feel good right now. Just a little sore in my nose area, but other than that, I’m fine.”

Orioles manager Buck Showalter thought that Sisco’s intensity in chasing that popup was the result of a play earlier this season when Sisco and third baseman Tim Beckham converged and the ball dropped

“Yeah, I mean, and there was another one up the first base line that same game. Just trying to get to the ball and get under it. I was trying not to let anything drop in that situation,” Sisco said.