Former San Francisco Giants outfielder Mac Williamson is suing the organization over a concussion he sustained during the 2018 season, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Williamson tripped over a bullpen mound at Oracle Park and hit his head on the wall, and he says that he continues to have symptoms from the concussion he suffered, such as blurred vision. Williamson says the concussion "ended [his] career."
"My life hasn't been the same since suffering the injury," Williamson said in a statement released by a public relations firm for Williamson's San Francisco-based attorney, Randy Erlewine.
Williamson alleges the Giants created a dangerous work environment by having bullpen mounds on the field, a setup which caused him to trip and hit his head on a wall. According to the Chronicle, the suit alleges negligence and seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages. The lawsuit claims Williamson was "one of the best power hitters in Major League Baseball" when he got hurt. Williamson's lawyer told reporters, including Schulman, that the player could have earned "tens of millions of dollars" had the injury not occurred.
"The concussion ended my career and left me with lifelong injuries that have also taken a significant toll on my personal life," Williamson's statement read. "I suffer nausea, trouble sleeping, mood swings, and other issues. I wake up every day hoping that today is a better day and that I will get closer to how I felt before the injury."
The 30-year-old outfielder recorded a .203/.282/.348 career slash line in 160 big-league games.
"Everyone's career ends at some point, but to have it taken from me because the bullpen mounds were unnecessarily placed on the field is very hard to cope with," Williamson said.
With a revamped swing, Williamson was batting .316 with three home runs and six RBI in five games during the 2018 season before he sustained the concussion. He was on the injured list for one month, and struggled to hit in his return.
In a statement to the Chronicle, the Giants said: "MLB and its clubs have a longstanding practice of addressing claims arising from player injuries through the collectively-bargained grievance procedure and the worker's compensation system. Williamson's claims are properly resolved through these processes, not through the courts."
Williamson's last appearance in an MLB game came on July 14 during the 2019 season with the Mariners. He finished up the year playing in the Korea Baseball Organization with the Samsung Lions. Williamson then signed a minor-league deal with the Nationals, but Washington released him before the 2020 season got underway.
The Giants moved their bullpens to behind the center-field fence ahead of the 2020 season.
