DETROIT – Detroit Tigers veteran Victor Martinez is opening up about his health scare last year that resulted in heart surgery.
Martinez spoke to MLB.com writer Anthony Castrovince about the 2017 incident.
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Back in June of 2017, Martinez was sent to the hospital with an elevated heart rate and cold sweats.
Martinez was removed from the game in the seventh inning after reaching on an error. Martinez appeared to run hard out of the batter's box on the ground ball to shortstop as the go-ahead run was in scoring position.
After reaching first base safety, Martinez appeared to ask to be removed from the game.
"Certainly a little more scary that a general baseball injury," Then-manager Brad Ausmus said on MLB Network radio. "When you start talking about the heart, it becomes much more real-life than a sprained ankle."
Reflecting on that night, Martinez told MLB.com he was alarmed.
"I felt like I was going to fall over," Martinez said. "My heart rate was still like 160 to 170. They had to electroshock me to bring it down."
"The doctor told me some basketball players and other professional athletes have come back from it and had a pretty normal life," Martinez said. "But as simple as they say it can be, it's the heart, you know? I was definitely really nervous."
Martinez's father passed away after three heart attacks, which had him worried about his future. He said the surgery last year saved his life.
Despite returning to the Tigers lineup this year, Martinez knows retirement is on the horizon.Â
"Honestly? I'm ready," he says. "I've got no regrets. I know I left everything in this game. I think the biggest problem for athletes is they don't know what to do after baseball. That won't be my problem."