KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alcides Escobar was held out of Thursday's lineup, just one night after being hit in the head by a 96-mph fastball from Cleveland's Danny Salazar. He has not been diagnosed with a concussion yet.
Before Thursday's game, Escobar said he did not have a headache and hoped to return to the lineup either Friday or Saturday. Manager Ned Yost, though, said Escobar still had a bruise on his cheekbone and has experienced concussion-like symptoms.
"Last night when he left the game, he was dizzy, had a headache, had trouble focusing, which are all concussion-like symptoms," Yost said. "Today, all he has is he struggles a little bit when he looks down and then looks up focusing. He's getting better."
Yost said Escobar would be re-evaluated Friday and added that a stint on the seven-day concussion disabled list remains a possibility. Friday is the last day Kansas City could place him on that DL retroactively.
The manager said his shortstop would undergo another test Friday, and that the club didn't want to lose him for seven days -- the minimum he would miss if placed on the DL -- if he was ready in three or four days. Yost did not rule out the possibility of a concussion.
"Does he have a concussion? He might," Yost said. "But the progress that he's making right now is enough for us to wait a day and make a determination."
Without Escobar available, the Royals are down to five infielders, one being primary designated hitter Kendrys Morales. Yost said Alex Gordon could play the infield in an emergency.
You can follow Matthew DeFranks on Twitter at @MDeFranks or email him at matthew.defranks@gmail.com.
