Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt leaves Twins-Mets game after being hit in head by line drive

In a scary moment during the seventh inning of the Twins-New York Mets game Wednesday at Target Field, first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was struck above his left ear as he tried to dodge a foul ball.

Wendelstedt, 53, immediately fell after he was hit by Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor‘s line drive while standing behind the first base bag in foul territory. Mets first base coach Antoan Richardson quickly signaled to the Twins’ medical staff.

Taylor winced and covered his eyes in the batter’s box, and several Twins players on the field kneeled.

Crew chief Todd Tichenor said Wendelstedt was taken to a hospital, and the hope was he only needed stitches.

“Hunter is undergoing additional tests in Minneapolis, and we are encouraged that he was in good spirits when he was in touch with our medical staff,” Major League Baseball said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor his status.”

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Wendelstedt, the son of a longtime National League umpire, walked off the field alongside trainers while holding a towel to the side of his head.

Matt Wallner, who left Tuesday’s game with a left hamstring strain, will be put on the 10-day injured list before the Twins face Atlanta on Friday.

“I had a pretty good idea when I woke up that it wasn’t going to heal any time soon,” Wallner said Wednesday, describing the injury as tightness in his hamstring.

Top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (.704 OPS in 45 at-bats) is the only healthy outfielder on the Twins’ 40-man roster in the minor leagues, but the Twins have an open spot on their 40-man roster that enables some flexibility.

Willi Castro exited Wednesday’s 4-3 win in the eighth inning, pulled for pinch hitter Mickey Gasper when the score was tied, because of mild oblique tightness on his right side.

“I felt, like, a little pinch” during a sixth-inning at-bat, Castro said. “I think I could have played through it, but I just didn’t want it to get worse. I just told them about it, and they took me out.”

Carlos Correa entered in the ninth inning Wednesday as a defensive replacement, one day after he exited with left wrist soreness. Manager Rocco Baldelli said he didn’t want to use Correa as a hitter, but his spot in the lineup was due four batters after Ty France’s walk-off single.

“We were going back and forth on what I was going to do if the at-bat came up,” Correa said. “I’m glad it never got there.”

Said Baldelli: “It was my strong preference for him to not go to the plate today.”

Correa has dealt with some wrist discomfort since the end of last season.

“It’s not something that’s ever held him back from performing, taking the field or anything like that, so I had literally zero concern and, really, zero discussion this year about the wrist,” Baldelli said. “It was something that would periodically pop up and give him some, I think, minor issues. It’s something even right now we’re going to be able to work through.”

Bride, 29, was designated for assignment Tuesday. He totaled four hits in 40 at-bats (.100 batting average) this year with 15 strikeouts and five walks.

With experience at first base, second base and third base, Bride batted .276 with 11 homers and 39 RBI in 71 games for the Marlins last year.

Bride is out of minor league options, so he will be added to the Twins’ 26-man roster Friday.

* Pablo López threw 31 pitches in a bullpen session Wednesday, the first time he has thrown off a mound since he was put on the 15-day IL with a right hamstring strain. The Twins want to see how López’s hamstring responds over the next couple of days before determining whether he will begin a rehab assignment early next week.