Video: Mets' Albert Almora Exits After Collision with Outfield Wall vs. Orioles
May 12, 2021
New York Mets center fielder Albert Almora exited Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles following a scary collision into the outfield wall.
Tim Britton of The Athletic noted Almora crashed face-first into the wall as he was chasing a fly ball hit by Austin Hays. While he remained down on the warning track for some time, he eventually walked to the dugout under his own power.
Dominic Smith replaced him in the game and moved into left field, while Kevin Pillar shifted to center.
New York signed Albert Almora as a backup outfielder this offseason after he played his first five years in the league with the Chicago Cubs.
The 27-year-old has struggled in the early going in 2021 and entered play slashing .056/.105/.056 without a home run or RBI. He was 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Tuesday's game prior to exiting after the collision.
Almora also struggled during the shortened 2020 campaign and slashed .167/.265/.200 in 28 games.
Still, he is better known for his glove than his bat and has flashed impressive leather at times throughout his career, including when he helped lead the Cubs to the 2016 World Series title. He nearly came away with an incredible catch on the play, but the ball was knocked loose when he crashed into the wall.
The Mets are already without Brandon Nimmo, who is on the injured list with a bruised hand.
That means Kevin Pillar will likely be tasked with playing center field if Almora is sidelined, while Dominic Smith can play left field and Michael Conforto can play right field.