Twins SS Carlos Correa and CF Byron Buxton placed in concussion protocol after outfield collision

BALTIMORE (AP) — Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton were both placed in the concussion protocol following a collision during Thursday's 4-0 victory over Baltimore.

Baltimore's Cedric Mullins hit a fly ball to shallow center field leading off the bottom of the third. Correa retreated to the outfield grass in pursuit while Buxton raced in. Buxton appeared to call off Correa at the last minute, but it was too late. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Buxton slammed into the 6-3, 220-pound Correa.

Correa exited the game immediately and was replaced by Jonah Bride. Buxton stayed in for the remainder of the third inning, but did not return for the fourth and was replaced by Ty France.

"It’s one of those fly balls that’s kind of right in the middle of both of them,” Jayce Tingler, who is serving as the acting manager while Rocco Baldelli deals with an illness, told reporters after the game. “And both of them going at it hard, and, you know, pretty good crowd today, with a bunch of people screaming, tough to communicate, and they obviously collided and banged heads.”

The 30-year-old Correa has missed just three games this season — all scheduled rest days — after being limited to 86 games last season because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Tingler said he would have more information on Friday about the availability of either player for Minnesota's three-game weekend series in Milwaukee.

The Twins will take an 11-game winning streak into their interleague meeting with the Brewers. The run has vaulted Minnesota back into contention in the competitive AL Central.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB