Clint Frazier was unaware the Mets’ Michael Conforto had been sent to the seven-day injured list after suffering a concussion when he collided with Robinson Cano as they chased a popup on Thursday. Frazier, however, had some advice for his Mets counterpart when he heard the news.
“Do what you need to do,’’ Frazier said before the Yankees faced the Rays on Friday night in The Bronx. “It can linger.”
Frazier should know. His 2018 season was almost completely derailed when he went down with a concussion during spring training. He battled symptoms related to the injury for much of the year.
The injury occurred in February and Frazier returned to play in just 15 games from May through July before the symptoms returned after he dove for a ball in the outfield. His final game was July 15 and he was shut down by the Yankees in September.
“I had problems with mine all year last year because maybe I tried to play before I was ready,’’ Frazier said. “You’ve got to take care of it.”
While Frazier got his concussion when he hit the outfield wall trying to catch a ball during a spring training game, Conforto was forced to exit Thursday’s game against the Nationals in Washington with a concussion after slamming into Cano. Both were going after Howie Kendrick’s pop-up down the right-field line in the fifth inning of the Mets’ loss.
Cano’s left shoulder hit directly into Conforto’s face and the right fielder stayed down on the grass momentarily before he got up slowly. After attempting to walk off the injury, manager Mickey Callaway and trainer Brian Chicklo came out to check on Conforto and removed him from the game.
Conforto was sent back to New York by train from Washington while the Mets traveled south to face Miami.
Frazier, who opened the season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after a rough spring unrelated to the concussion, said Conforto will have to provide input about when he’s able to play again.
“He’ll know,’’ Frazier said. “You wake up in the morning and you can finally see clearer. The headaches have stopped and the grogginess is gone. It’s like when you know a hangover is gone.”
Unlike other injuries, it’s more difficult to get a diagnosis.
“No one can put their hands on your head and fix it,’’ Frazier said. “You should be around people who have positive thoughts. And you shouldn’t change your routine. Just do what you have to do feel better.”
Frazier also praised Dr. Michael Collins, who treated him out of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
And Frazier added that while he never has met Conforto, he’d be willing to point him in the right direction.
“If he needs someone to reach out to, I’m right down the street here and I’m an expert,” Frazier said. “I don’t want to be one, but unfortunately, I went through it, too.”
In the meantime, Frazier was back in right field on Friday, trying to get back on track at the plate after returning from a stay on the IL due to a left ankle sprain.
In nine games since rejoining the lineup, heading into Friday, Frazier was just 6-for-32 with 10 strikeouts, a walk and just one extra-base hit.
But he’ll take the current situation over what he experienced a year ago.