A's Catcher Brian Serven Undergoes CT Scan After Ball Hits Face

Oakland Athletics catcher Brian Serven received a CT scan on Wednesday after a frightening incident where he fouled a pitch directly into his face, forcing him to leave the game. Manager Mark Kotsay expressed concern over the injury, stating that the team is unsure of Serven's availability for the final four games of the season.

"Right now, he’s getting a CT scan and they’re taking a look at the swelling area on the face. Scary moment for sure," Kotsay told reporters. He added that the ball appeared to hit the bat and then the earpiece of Serven's helmet, offering some hope that the impact might have been mitigated.

The incident occurred in the sixth inning of the Athletics' 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Serven attempted to bunt a 94-mph changeup from Angels pitcher Jose Fermin. The pitch ran inside, and Serven was struck in the face as the ball came off his bat, causing him to fall to the ground immediately while holding the left side of his face.

Kotsay and a trainer quickly attended to Serven. After a considerable amount of time on the ground, he was able to stand and walk off the field. Jonah Heim replaced Serven mid-at-bat and subsequently flied out to center field.

Kotsay indicated that more information regarding Serven's condition would be available Thursday morning, ahead of the Athletics' season-ending four-game series against the Houston Astros. Serven, 31, is in his first season with the Athletics and his fourth in the majors. He has appeared in 28 games this season, batting .179 with a .554 OPS. The catcher was originally a first-round pick by the Rockies in 2016 and has also played for the Toronto Blue Jays.