A Triple-A game between the Syracuse Mets and Buffalo Bisons ended horribly on Friday when Bisons catcher Payton Henry left by ambulance after taking a backswing to the head.
With Pablo Reyes in the Mets third cellar facing Bisons reliever Connor Cooke in the seventh inning, Reyes swung and missed badly on a fastball on the first pitch, his bat coming all the way around and hitting Henry in the back of the head. Henry immediately collapsed and lay down as trainers rushed in to evaluate him.
After being hit in the head by the bat during the backswing, Buffalo Bisons catcher Payton Henry left on a board in an ambulance. According to X’s team, he is currently being evaluated at a hospital in the Syracuse area.
The game was called in the 7th inning #Bluejays #Mets pic.twitter.com/P6sk3bjoDe
— Mets Reb-ular-season (@SportsRebo) June 1, 2024
Henry was eventually taken away on a board and taken by ambulance to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.
It was decided that the game would be called official, with the Mets defeating the Bisons 4-2. However, the Mets decided to go ahead with a planned post-game fireworks show, which ultimately caused a forest fire.
The Bisons, an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, announced later Friday evening that Henry “responded alertly and appropriately.” The next day they released a statement announcing that he had been released from the hospital:
Payton Henry has been released from the hospital and is doing well as he continues to rest and recover. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Syracuse Mets organization and the medical support team at Upstate University Hospital for their assistance and support of Payton in his time of need.
Henry, 26, also tweeted later Saturday that he was doing well.
I just wanted to continue here and thank everyone for the prayers and concern. I am doing quite well and hope to recover as soon as possible. I love you all!
— Payton Henry (@paytonhenry15) June 1, 2024
Henry was a sixth-round pick out of high school in the 2016 MLB Draft and played in the Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and Blue Jays organizations. He joined the Blue Jays this season on a minor league contract and previously played 20 MLB games over two seasons with the Marlins.
