Mark Teixeira’s hard slide into plate knocks Angels catcher Bobby Wilson out of game

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The Angels opened the season with three catchers on their roster, Jeff Mathis, Mike Napoli and Bobby Wilson. They were down to one after Mark Teixeira’s bone-crushing slide into the plate sent Bobby Wilson, who was making his first career start, to a nearby hospital in the third inning of Friday night’s Angels-New York Yankees game in Angel Stadium.

Teixeira, the former Angel who reached base when he was hit by an Ervin Santana fastball, was on second base when Robinson Cano singled to right. Teixeira was waved home, and Bobby Abreu’s throw home took a bad hop toward the third-base side of the plate.

That took Wilson’s momentum right into Teixeira, whose shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Wilson was so violent it could be heard in the press box. Wilson never gained possession of the ball, Teixeira scoring the third run of the inning for a 3-1 Yankees lead.

Wilson was carried off the field, diagnosed with a left-ankle injury and a concussion and taken to the Chapman Medical Center for a CT scan and X-rays. He was replaced by Napoli, the only remaining catcher after Mathis, who broke a bone in his right wrist against Detroit on Monday night and was placed on the disabled list.

Wilson is expected to be placed on the DL after the game, and the Angels will likely recall Ryan Budde from triple-A Salt Lake to take Wilson’s place.

-- Mike DiGiovanna