Doctors examining Cleveland Indians' reliever Juan Lara found he had a spinal fracture, plus severe brain trauma from a weekend car accident.
Lara, who pitched in one game for Cleveland last season, was returning from a winter league game Saturday night in San Pedro de Macoris when the sports utility vehicle he was driving was hit by a motorcycle, killing both its rider and passenger.
"Juan's condition is very fragile. In the last medical report we found that he has a severe brain trauma, and we also found a fracture in the spinal column, with the D2 [second vertebra] in an unstable condition," hospital spokeswoman Dashira Martinez told The Associated Press.
Martinez said doctors have not determined whether there will be any paralysis.
Cleveland's Lara Has Brain Damage, Spinal Injury