Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has not been having a great season, either offensively or defensively.
And lately, his running capacity has appeared diminished as he deals with a sore groin.
Still, he remains a big veteran presence in the locker room and his injury in Friday night's series opener against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre has undoubtedly sent a shudder through the Blue Jays organization.
Tulowitzki, his arms draped around the shoulders of two members of the Toronto training staff, was gingerly led off the field in the bottom of the third inning after jamming his right foot awkwardly into the bag at first base in an unsuccessful attempt to beat out an infield hit.
It was a rather inglorious way to mark the three-year anniversary of his trade to the Blue Jays from the Colorado Rockies.
The Blue Jays lost 7-2, bringing an abrupt halt to all the feel-good sentiments that ballooned following their uplifting and dramatic four-game sweep over the last-placed Oakland A's.
Already being steamrolled 3-0 and snuffed offensively by a dominating start by L.A.'s Parker Bridwell, Toronto's night got a little darker in the third after Tulowitzki hit a ground ball up the middle.
As with many balls put into play by Tulowitzki this season, it did not have much steam on it and Tulowitzki knew he had to charge to make first.
Kaleb Cowart had other ideas.
The L.A. second baseman ranged nicely to the third-base side of second to snag the ball and then made a good, strong throw to C.J. Cron at first to beat the trundling Tulowitzki by a nano-second.
Tulowitzki may have caught a portion of Cron's foot as he lunged at the bag with his right leg and his ankle turned, sending him into a front roll. Tulowitzki immediately started grabbing at his right leg and soon after had to be helped off the field.
The initial diagnosis is that Tulowitzki suffered a sprained right ankle and would undergo further evaluation.
The 32-year-old has been dogged by ill-health in Toronto. He missed 31 games earlier this season after he tweaked his right hamstring.
Toronto manager John Gibbons was back at his post in the dugout about 24 after Thursday's Rogers Centre ruckus when he, starting pitcher Marcus Stroman and catcher Russell Martin all got thrown out in the fifth inning of the game against Oakland.
Gibbons was undoubtedly hoping J.A. Happ would have a bounce-back night, after being rocked in his last outing on Sunday in Cleveland, when he allowed seven runs off nine hits during an 8-1 rout by the Indians.
"A couple days before that he was sick as a dog," Gibbons said. "He might have been a little weak."
But Happ was off on his control and for a moment in the second inning, when the Angels put up two of their runs, it looked as though there might be a repeat of Thursday's shenanigans.
After a walk to Martin Maldonado put runners at first and second, Happ surrendered a hit to Cowart that brought in L.A.'s first run.
Happ then walked Yunel Escobar to load the bases for Mike Trout, who is enjoying another fine season.
Two of Happ's pitches that he thought were deserving of strikes were judged balls by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez – the second of which resulted in the third walk of the inning. That forced in another run.
Happ was clearly miffed by it all and started walking toward Hernandez, his glove over his mouth. And when Hernandez stepped out from behind home plate in response and took off his face mask it prompted Gibbons to hustle his way onto the field.
Cooler heads prevailed, but the damage was done.
Happ got through the inning and regrouped to last six, allowing three L.A. runs off five hits while walking four and striking out five.
The early 2-0 lead was more than enough ballast for Bridwell, who tore through the Blue Jays' batting order. Bridwell held Toronto to one run on three hits over 71/3 innings with four strikeouts.
With their lead 4-1 heading into the seventh inning, the Angels ripped into Toronto reliever Chris Smith for three more runs, the big blast a two-run home run from Cron.
Justin Smoak cranked his 29th home run of the year leading off the bottom of the ninth to ease some of the pain for the Toronto fans – but not much.