LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Dodgers rookie pitcher Carlos Monasterios was examined by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache and deemed to be fine after being hit in the right side of the head by a foul ball as he sat in the dugout in the top of the fourth inning of Sunday's game against the New York Mets.
The ball was hit by Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran, who lined it directly into the Dodgers dugout. Several players scrambled to avoid the ball, then immediately surrounded Monasterios after he was hit.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was on the mound at the time, stared into the dugout for several seconds before throwing his next pitch.
ElAttrache determined that Monasterios didn't suffer a concussion in the incident. Monasterios, who had been pitching out of the bullpen, made his first start in more than a month on Saturday against the Mets, pitching five shutout innings in a game the Dodgers eventually won in 13 innings.
The accident occurred less than 24 hours after San Francisco Giants outfielder Eugenio Velez was struck on the left side of his
head by teammate Pat Burrell's foul ball while he was in the
dugout. Velez sustained a concussion and spent the night in the
hospital.
Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.