Payton Henry, a 26-year-old catcher playing for the Toronto Blue Jays affiliate, Buffalo Bisons, was hit by a bat during a Triple-A game against the Syracuse Mets. The incident occurred in the seventh inning when Mets’ Pablo Reyes swung and missed, causing the bat to fly towards Henry. He collapsed and had to be evaluated by trainers before being taken to Upstate University Hospital via ambulance.
The game was called official with the Mets winning 4-2. However, following the incident, the Mets went ahead with their postgame fireworks show, which inadvertently led to a brush fire on the field.
Later that night, the Bisons announced that Henry was “alert and appropriately responsive” and had been discharged from the hospital. In a Twitter post, Henry reassured fans that he was doing well and thanked everyone for their prayers and concerns.
Henry has played in multiple MLB organizations over his career, including the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins. He joined the Blue Jays for this season on a minor league contract and is now focused on recovering from his recent injury.
