CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Austin Hedges takes his position behind the plate for the Guardians, he enters what former MLB umpire Dale Scott calls “the kill zone” – a space where concussions aren’t just possible, they’re practically inevitable. On a recent Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, Scott offered a rare, unfiltered look at the brain injuries that ended his 32-year umpiring career and forever changed his understanding of baseball’s most serious hidden danger.

“For years, concussions were almost treated like a joke, right? Oh, you’re seeing stars? Well, get some dirt on your shoes, kid, you’ll be fine,” Scott explained, describing baseball’s outdated approach. “Well, then we kind of realized, actually this is doing some damage.”

Scott’s career ended after suffering five concussions in a f

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