CLEVELAND, Ohio — Austin Hedges has been diagnosed with a concussion four times in his career. After each of the last two, the Guardians’ backup catcher admits to having thoughts about stepping away from the game he loves.
“I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about it,” Hedges said. “The last two, both times the thought has crossed my mind, ‘Is this worth it?’”
In the wake of NFL star Tua Tagovailoa suffering his third concussion in the last 24 months, discourse has understandably ramped up surrounding the risk vs. reward of continuing a career that exposes an athlete to repeated opportunities to sustain a significant brain injury.
Hedges said athletes are willing to play through physical obstacles all the time, convincing themselves they can find a way to grind through pain and more. But brain injuries are something you do not mess with.
“The sport is what we do, it’s not who we are,” Hedges said. “All of us are trying to have long lives after we’re done playing. It’s really, really scary.”
Hedges said when he saw a replay of the injury, his heart sank. Considering what it takes to reach the highest level as an NFL quarterback, or even a catcher in the major leagues, anybody in Tagovailoa’s position has made sacrifice after sacrifice to get where he is.
“The only thing that can scare you away from it is a brain injury,” Hedges said.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who played 10 major league seasons as a catcher, expressed sympathy for Tagovailoa and his family, as well as the Dolphins, who are likely agonizing over their teammate’s injury.
“That’s their brother, that’s their friend that doesn’t know what’s next for him and is going through it again another year,” Vogt said. “It’s one thing to have another knee surgery, it’s one thing to have another shoulder surgery. You only have one head, you only have one brain.
Vogt said he struggles to imagine having to consider the life-changing decision that now faces Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. Hedges agreed.
“Those are just discussions I think you have to have with your family,” Hedges said. “But yeah, I feel for the guy.”
Teammates check on Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) after an injury during the game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Kwan scratched
Steven Kwan was a late scratch from Friday’s lineup against Tampa Bay as the Guardians say the All-Star left fielder was removed for precautionary reasons due to “body fatigue.”
Kwan, mired in a month-long slump following the break, was 6 for 39 in his last 11 games, but had shown signs of coming around at the plate. He had drawn walks in six straight games, including two in Thursday’s series opener.
Kwan missed 23 games in May with a left hamstring injury, and was batting .398 on June 16 before beginning his slide.
Steven Kwan.Getty Images
On the big stage
Vogt said he cannot wait to watch his team play in big games as the division race narrows and (hopefully) the playoffs loom. Cleveland’s magic number to clinch the American League Central Division was at 12 before play began Friday. There are 15 regular season games remaining and the Guardians have the third-best record in the AL at 84-63.
“I love watching them play and I think for us, we’ve put such an emphasis that every day is a playoff game,” Vogt said. “These guys have really owned that all year, and I think pressure builds because you play it up in your own head.”
Vogt would not put the cart before the horse, but he said if the club does have the good fortune of reaching the playoffs, it will be “so much fun” because it becomes baseball in its purest.
“You just go play,” Vogt said. “There’s no numbers, there’s no contracts, there’s nothing. It’s major league players going out and playing baseball to win. These guys have done that all year long, so if we are fortunate enough to get there, it’s going to be an absolute blast.”
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