Carlos Correa slowed down and seemed to brace for impact, hugging his pink glove to his chest as he stopped backpedaling into the outfield.

He was on a collision course with Byron Buxton, both racing to catch the same Cedric Mullins popup in the third inning of Thursday’s game, and he seemed to sense it seconds before it happened.

As Buxton caught the ball on the run, his chin collided with Correa’s shoulder and the two franchise players fell to the ground, shaken up.

It was a scary scene in Baltimore for the two Twins’ stars, both of whom left the game, which the Twins won 4-0, their 11th straight victory.

Both remained on their backs as they were attended to and Correa eventually walked off slowly alongside team trainer Nick Paparesta right after the play. Buxton initially stayed in the game before departing the next half inning.

Both players are in MLB’s concussion protocol, which does not necessarily mean that they have a concussion but that they are being evaluated for one.

“One of those fly balls that’s kind of right in the middle of both of them and both of them going at it hard and pretty good crowd today with a bunch of people screaming, tough to communicate and they obviously collided and banged heads,” acting manager Jayce Tingler told reporters in Baltimore. “Both those guys right now are in the MLB concussion protocol. We don’t have any information right now. We’ll have more information tomorrow.”

Buxton had gone back-to-back with DaShawn Keirsey Jr. in the top of the third inning, hitting his team-leading 10th home run of the season.

It was a bruising series in Baltimore for the Twins, who saw both Ty France (left foot contusion) and Harrison Bader (left groin tightness) leave Wednesday’s doubleheader early.

Neither was in the starting lineup Thursday, though France came in to play following the collision.

Willi Castro was also shaken up on a slide into second during Thursday’s game, but he remained in.

Woods Richardson optioned to Triple-A

Simeon Woods Richardson stepped into the Twins’ rotation late last April and grabbed hold of a spot in the rotation, maintaining it through the season. But he hasn’t been able to replicate that success in his second season in the majors thus far, and on Thursday the Twins optioned the right-handed starter to Triple-A.

The Twins currently have Sunday’s starter listed as TBA and will have to call up a starter to fill his spot in the rotation.

Woods Richardson, who has a 5.02 earned-run average, gave up six runs on eight hits in four innings pitched against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. All six of those runs came in the third inning, in which he allowed two home runs, including a go-ahead grand slam.

Woods Richardson has allowed eight home runs this season in 37 2/3 innings pitched, half the total he allowed last year in nearly 100 fewer innings pitched. He also hasn’t been able to give the Twins length, completing at least five innings in just three of eight outings this season.

At one point, the Twins used an opener to precede one of his appearances.

In his place, Kody Funderburk, who served as the 27th man in Wednesday’s double-header, will remain on the active roster for the time being. To fill Woods Richardson’s spot in the rotation, the Twins have a pair of options in Triple-A to choose from.

David Festa, who was called up earlier this season when Pablo López was on the injured list, pitched well, giving up three runs (two earned) across 13 innings pitched (1.38 ERA) in three starts.

The Twins got an extended look at Festa and Zebby Matthews late last year. Matthews, who had an impressive spring training and currently boasts a 1.93 ERA across seven starts in Triple-A this season, has yet to pitch in the majors this season.