BOSTON (AP) — Houston first baseman Christian Walker expects to be in the lineup Sunday even though he left Saturday's game in the ninth inning after getting hit in the head by a fastball from Boston left-hander Tyler Samaniego.
“That’s always not a great situation, but I’m feeling OK,” Walker said following the Astros’ 6-3 victory over the Red Sox. “I think the helmet took most of it. Turning away from it hopefully made it more of a glancing blow than a straight impact.”
He was hit by a 93.3 mph fastball and a piece of his helmet appeared to go flying off, which he thought was the C-flap that protects the jaw.
“It hit the helmet first and then the ball hit me in the head,” Walker said.
A trainer came rushing out and Walker held a towel to the left side of his forehead as he walked to the dugout.
Manager Joe Espada said Walker didn’t get cut. When Walker was talking to the media, he had his hat down low over his forehead.
“Scary,” said Espada. “When he kind of moved his head, the helmet kind of came loose and the ball kind of got some of the forehead area, but no blood.”
Walker expects to play Sunday.
“Yeah, I’m planning on it," he said. "I just went through all the concussion stuff, so I don’t see an issue with that.
“As long as I don’t wake up with some crazy neck stiffness or something like that, I plan on being in there.”
Walker hit a solo homer, had three hits and drove in a pair of runs as Houston bounced back from a loss in the series opener Friday.
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Houston Astros' Christian Walker, left, is assisted by coaches after getting hit in the head by a pitch during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Philadelphia Flyers forward Owen Tippett sat out Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes to open that second-round playoff series.
The Flyers ruled out their regular-season goals leader about a half-hour before the start of the game due to an undisclosed injury.
Tippett had 28 goals and 23 assists in the regular season, then had one goal and one assist in the six-game series against Pittsburgh that marked Philadelphia's first postseason appearance since 2020.
The Flyers said Tippett is considered day to day.
The Hurricanes took the ice a week after closing out a sweep of Ottawa. But defenseman Alexander Nikishin was out of the lineup Saturday as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered on a jarring hit by Tyler Kleven in Game 4. Nikishin had returned to skating in a yellow no-contact jersey by Wednesday, then shed that practice Friday.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said Saturday morning that Nikishin needed to complete another test as he works to clear the concussion protocol.
Carolina forward Nikolaj Ehlers was back after a lower-body injury made him a late scratch for Game 4.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) is helped off the ice by teammates Seth Jarvis (24) and Shayne Gostisbehere (4) after being checked by Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven during the second period of Game 4 in a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
Philadelphia Flyers' Owen Tippett (74) and Luke Glendening (41) celebrate after the Flyers won Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
