Orioles manager Craig Albernaz suffered a broken jaw and seven facial fractures after being hit by a 70.6 mph foul ball during a game. He returned to the dugout shortly after receiving medical attention.
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz suffered broken jaw getting hit by foul ball
Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has returned to his post, but did not emerge totally unscathed after taking a line drive off his face during a ballgame.
Albernaz told reporters Tuesday, April 14 that he suffered a broken jaw and at least seven facial fractures when a foul ball off Jeremiah Jackson's bat, clocked at 70.6 mph, struck him in the face during the fifth inning the night before.
The first-year manager was quickly shuttled down the tunnel and into the clubhouse by coaches and ballplayers, but he returned to the dugout a little less than an hour later. Perhaps unrelatedly, the Orioles stormed back from a six-run deficit as Jackson hit a grand slam and solo home run to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7.
Albernaz did not meet with the news media after the game, farming out those duties to bench coach Donnie Ecker, but he was back for his usual afternoon briefing, and just like his first press conference as manager, evoked the name of his 2-year-old daughter.
"Gigi," Albernaz said after telling reporters he'd be on a diet of soft foods for several weeks, "has a better diet than I do."
The Massachusetts native has a scar on his cheek and a semblance of a shiner on his right eye, but is no worse for wear. Nor are the Orioles - they've now won six of seven games to improve to 9-7 and share the AL East lead with the New York Yankees.
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Cleveland Guardians players warm up as the launch of NASA's Artemis II is shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.
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Cleveland Guardians players warm up as the launch of NASA's Artemis II is shown on the center-field video board at Dodger Stadium on April 1, 2026.
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Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) and center fielder Jakob Marsee celebrate a victory against the Chicago White Sox at loanDepot Park on April 1, 2026.
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The St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt is doused with water by teammates after hitting a walk-off two-run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the 10th inning at Busch Stadium on March 28, 2026.
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Two F-35C planes from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE Detachment Edwards Air Force Base perform a flyover before the Opening Day game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Orioles' Craig Albernaz injury update: Foul ball broke manager's jaw
Craig Albernaz suffered a broken jaw and at least seven facial fractures after being struck by a foul ball.
The foul ball that hit Craig Albernaz was clocked at 70.6 mph.
After Albernaz was injured, the Orioles came back from a six-run deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7.
The incident occurred during the fifth inning of the game.
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