What happened to Harrison Bader? Yankees slugger exits game vs Angels early

New York Yankees slugger Harrison Bader went down in pain after being hit by a pitch against the LA Angels. He was forced to exit the game early after attempting to stay in.

Bader, when healthy, has been a consistent offensive and defensive presence for the Yankees. Losing him would put a dent in their ability to battle back from the bottom of the American League East.

Being hit by a pitch is a relatively common play in baseball, but its results can be wildly different. Sometimes players are able to shrug them off as though nothing happened. Others can cause pain that will last throughout the game and beyond.

Talkin' Yanks shared an image of Bader after being hit on Twitter.

"Harrison Bader is down and in pain after a HBP. He's staying in the game at least for now though" - Talkin' Yanks

The New York Yankees have been put through the wringer in terms of injuries this season, so fans held their breath seeing Bader go down like that. Isiah Kiner-Falefa took over Bader's spot in centerfield.

This Yankees fan captured what many felt at the moment.

"Never dropped my s*** so fast to run to the tv after hearing bader’s down" - @shesty4vezina

Hopefully, he will be able to recover quickly and not miss an extended amount of time.

Harrison Bader's injury could shift the New York Yankees' trade deadline strategy

On top of all the other injuries the Yankees are dealing with, they can not afford to lose Bader for long. If they do, they could wind up as sellers at this year's trade deadline, especially with the seasons the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are putting together.

This injury could wind up being the low point of the entire Yankees season.