What looked like a freak accident turned out to be far more serious than anyone expected.
Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz took a direct hit to the face during Monday’s game—and the damage was brutal. After getting struck by a 70.6 mph line drive foul ball, Albernaz revealed he suffered at least seven facial fractures along with a broken jaw.
Yes, seven fractures.
The terrifying moment happened in the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks when Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson sent a screaming foul ball straight into the dugout. Albernaz was standing on the top step, just outside the protection of the netting, when the ball slammed into his cheek without warning.
The impact was immediate and violent.
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Albernaz dropped out of view and rushed off for medical attention, with a visible welt forming across his face almost instantly. What initially looked like a painful but routine incident quickly turned into something much more severe.
“I got hit pretty flush in the cheek,” Albernaz said. “It’s at least seven fractures in my cheek area—orbital—and then a broken jaw.”
Despite the extent of the injuries, there was a surprising twist—no surgery required, and his jaw won’t need to be wired shut. Instead, he’s been put on a strict soft-food diet for the next six weeks as he recovers.
Still, the seriousness of the injuries can’t be understated. Facial fractures, especially around the orbital bone and jaw, can be incredibly dangerous and often require extensive treatment. The fact that Albernaz avoided surgery is nothing short of remarkable.
Even in the immediate aftermath, his thoughts weren’t about himself.
“I covered my face because if it was really bad, I didn’t want my family to see it on TV,” he said.
After undergoing concussion protocol, team doctors insisted he get a CT scan to fully assess the damage. That’s when the full extent of the injuries became clear.
And yet, in a moment that stunned just about everyone, Albernaz returned to the dugout later that same game after hearing the crowd erupt over Jackson’s grand slam—a hit that sparked a huge Orioles comeback win.
He even stuck around long enough to celebrate.
As if the moment couldn’t get more surreal, Jackson later handed him the grand slam ball—signed, with a simple message written on it: “Sorry homie.”
Severe injuries. A shattered cheek. A broken jaw.
And somehow, he still showed up the next day.