TAMPA — Without providing details, Rays officials said Friday that initial medical reports were encouraging on reliever Hunter Bigge, who remains hospitalized after being struck in the face by a foul ball while watching Thursday’s game from the dugout.

Baseball operations president Erik Neander and manager Kevin Cash visited Bigge earlier Friday and said he was in alert and responsive. They said they expect to have a more-detailed update after Friday’s game.

“Getting to see Hunter and talk to him, he was in good spirits,” Cash said at Steinbrenner Field. “Not a ton of information other than that. But for me personally, witnessing and watching what took place (Thursday), to see how he was today, and being able to interact, things were heading in a really good direction.”

Neander said “worst-case outcomes” have been ruled out. Bigge was struck by the ball clocked off the bat of Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman at 105 mph.

“Can happily share that he’s alert, he responsive, he’s himself,” Neander said during his weekly segment on WDAE radio. “I had a chance to visit briefly with him earlier (Friday) and his family, and he’s in good spirits.

“Thankfully, all of the things that go through your head of what could happen in a situation like that, the most concerning outcomes have been ruled out. There’s an injury there, but the worst-case outcomes and all those fears have been ruled out. So we’ll provide a little bit more later today, but we’re going in a positive direction relative to what it could have been.”

Rays players also said they heard positive reports.

“It’s a horrifying thing to have happen,” said veteran second baseman Brandon Lowe. ”But definitely gotten some good news from the staff and guys that have been able to stop by and go see him. What we’re hearing is fantastic news for how scary the incident was last night.”

Bigge’s wife was with him at the hospital, and they were joined by his parents, who flew in overnight from their San Francisco area home.

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