Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was carted off the field on a stretcher on Monday after suffering a left leg injury. The injury occurred during the seventh inning when Machado stepped awkwardly on first base.
Machado's left foot caught the edge of the first base bag, causing his knee to twist. The 21-year-old appeared to be in immediate pain, extending his leg out as he fell to the ground on his next step. Machado stayed on the field for several minutes before being taken off on a stretcher. Trainers stabilized his left knee before carting him off.
The severity of the knee injury is unknown, but based on the initial reaction, many are speculating Machado may have suffered ligament damage, including a possible torn ACL. He will have to undergo further tests to determine the actual severity. If he did suffer a torn ligament, the injury could cause him to miss a significant portion of next season.
Machado is one of the rising stars in all of MLB. He was hitting .283/.314/.432 coming into Monday's game.
More from SB Nation MLB:
• Metallica plays Mariano off | #Lookit
• Braves win NL East | A's clinch AL West
• Leyland concerned about Cabrera's injury
• Less intimidating National League logos
• Billy Hamilton: Psychology of the shocking jogger