J.A. Happ Starts Throwing Outdoors, Eyes June Return

J.A. Happ is continuing his recovery after being hit in the head with a line drive, and the Blue Jays pitcher says he could be back on the mound by June.

The 30-year-old pitcher has been rehabbing at Toronto’s minor league complex near Tampa, Florida, since the May 7 incident. He was pitching to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Desmond Jennings when a line drive hit him directly in the head, caroming well into the outfield.

Jennings, who ended up with a triple on the play, was visibly shaken and buried his face into his jersey. He watched on as team trainers rushed to J.A. Happ, who lay bleeding and motionless.

The play took place in the second inning of the game, leading to an 11-minute delay as medical personnel immobilized Happ, loaded him onto a stretcher, and carted him off the field.

J.A. Happ spoke publicly about the injury for the first time, saying he’s slowing getting back to full pitching ability.

“I’m hoping mid-June but I think it’s hard to put a time frame on it exactly at this point, just because I haven’t really been able to throw quite yet,” Happ said.

Happ said while he’s now throwing outdoors and is close to being physically ready, he can’t be sure what it will be like mentally to step on the mound for the first time.

He added that he doesn’t think he could have done anything differently to avoid the hit.

“Well, initially, I wasn’t sure what happened because to me it seemed like maybe I got hit from the first-base side, if there was like a collision somehow — cause I don’t remember seeing the ball at all and moving my head,” Happ said. “I thought something came in from the first-base side and knocked me over and then I guess for lack of better words, I was kinda looking [at] sort of an explosion — loud ringing. Everything else was quiet and just ringing in my ear and a lot of pressure, so that’s when my hands were on my head. I felt like I need to keep everything together. I was aware the whole time.”

J.A. Happ added that he’s had a great outpouring of support from fans and fellow players.