Don Baylor, the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Angels who was named an AL MVP during his playing days with the franchise, went down with a broken leg during the ceremonial pitch on MLB’s opening day.

Don Baylor Breaks Leg

Baylor, 64, had been at the catcher’s mound to receive a patch from former Angel Vladamir Guerrero on Monday when his legs got tangled. When he tried to stand up, his right leg completely gave out. From Angel Stadium, Baylor was rushed to the hospital, where it was determined that he required surgery for a fractured femur.

"It got me sick when I was warming up seeing that and then hearing what happened in the dugout. I just hope and wish for the best," Angels outfielder Mike Trout told Fox Sports.

Baylor Has Surgery On Femur

Baylor had surgery on his injured leg on Tuesday, when doctors inserted a plate and screws during a five and a half-hour surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center. It will likely take several months before Baylor makes a full recovery.

"Don is one tough guy," Angels manager Mike Scoscia said, according to ESPN. "He's not giving in to anything. He wants to get this done, wants to come back and wants to help us. Once the surgery gets done, let's see what he can do. He's trying to put his best foot forward."

"Knowing Don, he's going to want to come on our next road trip," Scioscia added. "He'll be watching the games and have input for sure…. Don will be connected, even if he's not able to get out physically to the ballpark. He'll watch video. He'll text me opinions on lineups. Don has a really good feel for that."

In Baylor’s absence, Angels assistant hitting coach Dave Hansen will be stepping into his role and will be assisted by Paul Sorrento, a minor league hitting coordinator.

"I still can't believe what happened, I really can't," Hansen told ESPN. "That shock is still there. I just can't get that out of my head. … We'll hold him close and give him as much support as we can. He's probably strapped up there, knee in a brace, and he's wondering how our boys did. We were as sad as we can be, and he's thinking about hitting."

The Angels have been off to a rough start this year, losing the first two games in their series against the Seattle Mariners. They’ll face the Seattle squad again Wednesday night.

– Chelsea Regan