Detroit Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario exited Saturday’s game against the Chicago Cubs with a left knee contusion.
He was plunked in the knee by Cubs reliever Dan Winkler’s 91.3 mph cutter in the sixth inning. Once Candelario got hit, he hobbled behind home plate and toward the dugout, where Miguel Cabrera — in the on-deck circle — help him stand.
Manager AJ Hinch and athletic trainer Doug Teter evaluated Candelario before determining he was unable to return. Niko Goodrum came off the bench to pinch-run. Harold Castro moved from shortstop to third base and Goodrum stayed in the game as the shortstop.
Before leaving Saturday, Candelario went 1-for-2 with one walk, one strikeout and one hit-by-pitch. He scored in the first inning on Jonathan Schoop’s single.
This season, Candelario leads the Tigers with a .286 batting average. He has chipped in six doubles, three home runs, 13 RBIs, 16 walks and 39 strikeouts. In 2020, Candelario finished 52 games with a .297 batting average, seven homers and 29 RBIs.
Evan Petzold is a sports reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.