Jeremy Hellickson hit in head with ball during batting practice

Rays starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson was been hit in the head with a batted ball during batting practice Wednesday in Comerica Park (TampaBay.com), prior to the Rays game against the Tigers [Follow live on CBSSports.com GameTracker].

Paramedics were sent to the Rays' bullpen during batting practice, where Hellickson had been throwing a side session. From TampaBay.com:

Bullpen coach Stan Boroski said Hellickson had just thrown a pitch. Several Tigers yelled, "Heads up!" but as soon as Hellickson turned he was hit on the left side of the head, just above the eye, and "went down."

Hellickson was able to answer the paramedics' questions with no problem.

Pitching coach Jim Hickey said Hellickson went down after being hit, not from the force of the ball. The ball struck the bill of Hellickson's cap, Hickey said, which should have deflected some of the force.

It's good news that Hellickson seems to have been hit with a glancing blow. More good news comes from Rays manager Joe Maddon, which is that Hellickson was not bleeding and never lost consciousness. Maddon also said he thought Hellickson was more "stunned" than hurt and that the trip to the hospital is precautionary (TampaBay.com).

UPDATE: Hellickson has passed all the tests he was given at the hospital and will go through some more Thursday.

Hellickson, 25, worked 8 2/3 shutout innings against the Yankees in his only start thus far in 2012, picking up the win. The next scheduled start for the 2011 AL Rookie of the Year is Saturday at Boston, assuming everything checks out OK Thursday.

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