The son of Toronto Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson is in critical condition in a Flordia hospital, days after being struck by a car.
The incident happened Sunday, Clearwater Police tell Blue Jays Nation, when a valet driver at the Opal Sands resort in Clearwater Beach, Fla., struck Swanson’s four-year-old son, Toby, with a 2024 Ford Expedition.
Police say the boy was airlifted by medical helicopter to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburgh, Fla., in life-threatening condition.
Clearwater traffic homicide investigators have taken over the investigation, and police say the driver remained on scene, and is cooperating with the investigation.
In a statement, the Blue Jays said Swanson would be away from the team “for a while.”
“Thanks to the incredible work from Clearwater first responders, Toby is on the road to recovery and is surrounded by his family,” the Blue Jays said in a statement. “Erik will be away from the team for a while, family comes first. Our love, support and prayers are with Erik, Madison, Toby and the entire Swanson family. Out of respect for Erik and his family, we’re not going to comment further on this.”
Manager John Schneider, meanwhile, said the club would be there for Swanson to lean on.
“We have unbelievable resources up and down this organization,” Schneider said, via MLB.com. “We have an unbelievable group of guys who are in that clubhouse who are very, very close. They spend a lot of time together off the field along with other families. You lean on those guys. You come together as an organization as quickly as you can and help however you can. The guys have been great. Erik and his wife, Madison, are very thankful for the support, and we’re going to continue to give it as long as we need to.”
Earlier in the month, Swanson, 30, shared photos on his Instagram this month of him and his son around the Blue Jays Spring Training facility in Dunedin, Fla. The Opal Sands resort is located six miles away from that facility.
Swanson, a native of Fargo, N.D., where his son Toby was born, joined the Blue Jays in a November 2022 trade along with minor league arm Adam Macko for outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.
He was a big part of the Jays’ bullpen success last season, allowing 22 earned runs across 66 and two-thirds innings, for a 2.97 ERA. Before the accident, Swanson had yet to appear in Spring Training.
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