Giancarlo Stanton lies on a stretcher after being hit in the face with a pitch.
Giancarlo Stanton lies on a stretcher after being hit in the face with a pitch. (USATSI)

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton took a pitch to the face last week that ended his season. He suffered facial fractures and dental damage on the errant pitch from Brewers starter Mike Fiers. Thursday, Stanton spoke with the media for the first time since his gruesome injury.

"I feel all right," Stanton said, according to the Associated Press. "Swelling's way down, much better than I envisioned. Just got to get the grill fixed and we'll go from there."

Stanton told reporters that he briefly blacked out initially once being struck with the pitch and described what he was going through physically.

"My ears were ringing," Stanton told the AP. "I couldn't hear nothing, except the ring. I was checking my mouth, just the blood, mouth full and having chunks of teeth floating around."

Yikes.

As far as hearing from Fiers, Stanton has via text message and he sounds content.

"He said, obviously, it wasn't on purpose," Stanton told MLB.com. "He said how sorry he was. It's been tough to sleep the first few nights and stuff. It was a good message."

As far as how he'll feel stepping in that batter's box again, Stanton offered up the following:

"I've wondered about that," Stanton said. "I think I'm in a great mental state for what has gone on. But to be able to be back into the box, and in competition, I'm not quite sure. I think when we decide the protection that will be on, I'll have more reassurance wearing that. I don't know."

The 24-year-old NL MVP candidate finishes the season hitting .288/.395/.555 with 37 homers, 105 RBI and 13 steals. He leads the NL in home runs, walks, slugging percentage, OPS, total bases and intentional walks.