CHICAGO -- Erik Gonzalez was preparing to travel with the Indians on Wednesday night, good news considering the scare involving the Tribe's utility man during the 10-2 rout over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
In the eighth inning, Gonzalez was hit in the left earflap of his helmet by a fastball from reliever Rob Scahill. Gonzalez tumbled to the dirt but did not lose consciousness. He left the game and was helped off the field with the help of two athletic trainers.
"The only thing I saw was the ball when it was right on top of me," Gonzalez said via team translator Will Clements. "I fell down, but I knew where I was the whole time."
Gonzalez underwent a series of concussion tests and said he was cleared to fly with the team to Kansas City, where Cleveland will wrap up the regular season with four games. Indians manager Terry Francona said Gonzalez would be re-evaluated prior to Thursday's game.
"He's OK. He's doing a little better," Francona said. "He was checked by the doctor. He'll be checked again ... and then obviously he'll be checked again in the morning. It hit him right in the head. It got the helmet, but it got him pretty good."
Gonzalez took over for shortstop Francisco Lindor in the sixth inning, putting Cleveland in a defensive predicament. Following Gonzalez's exit, utility man Adam Rosales (who took over for second baseman Jose Ramirez in the sixth) shifted to shortstop. With Jason Kipnis (center field and second) also pulled from the blowout, outfielder Brandon Barnes played second for the rest of the game.