Orioles Manager Craig Albernaz Hit in Face By Line Drive Into Dugout

There were some scary scenes at Camden Yards during the fifth inning of the Orioles’ game against the Diamondbacks on Monday night after second baseman Jeremiah Jackson laced a foul ball directly into the home dugout, hitting manager Craig Albernaz right in the face.

Albernaz had no chance to get out of the way of the hard-hit foul ball, and the crowd reacted instantly, letting out a simultaneous gasp after the ball caught him in the cheek. Albernaz was helped into the clubhouse by a trainer where he was examined by medical staffers.

Less than an inning later, he was right back in his usual spot in the home dugout, though he did have a gnarly bruise on his cheek to show for it.

Here’s a look at everything that went down:

Craig Albernaz took a scary shot from a foul boul into the dugout pic.twitter.com/5oPiN0DtYd
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 14, 2026

Players and managers in the dugout, particularly those that tend to sit up close to the action along the railing, run the risk of getting hit by foul balls, like Albernaz just did, due to limited protection. Just last season in a road game against the Rays, Adley Rutschman hit a foul ball that caught pitcher Hunter Bigge in the face. Bigge needed to be stretchered off the field and was left with multiple fractures in his face.

Fortunately, it seems as if Albernaz was in good health and good spirits when he returned, and he even shared a laugh and chatted with Jackson in the dugout.

James McCann is in the building tonight, so of course Craig Albernaz took a ball to the face and came back for this game.

He seemed to laugh with Jeremiah Jackson in the dugout, who just hit a grand slam and is ... 2-for-2 since hitting his manager with a foul ball https://t.co/ZyJzjAcHjK pic.twitter.com/TphFTnr5Vu
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) April 14, 2026

As for Jackson, the infielder more than made up for accidentally belting a foul ball into the face of his manager by producing some big at-bats. He hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and enjoyed a three-hit night in the Orioles’ win. It was the first multi-home run game of his career, and he also set a career high with five RBIs.

After the game, bench coach Donnie Ecker spoke to the media and said that Albernaz was doing “good” and would be going for a precautionary scan on Tuesday.

Albernaz is in his first season as the Orioles’ manager, having previously served as a manager in the minor leagues and in various roles on the coaching staffs of the Giants and Guardians. The toughness he displayed Monday night will leave a strong impression on his new team. He’s off to a good start in Baltimore, as the Orioles’ win over the Diamondbacks saw the team improve to 9–7 on the season and stake an early lead in the AL East.

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