Orioles Manager Craig Albernaz Suffers Seven Facial Fractures From Foul Ball, Returns to Dugout Next Day

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz sustained seven orbital fractures and a broken jaw after being struck in the face by a foul ball during a game, an injury so severe that he has been relegated to eating baby food for weeks during his recovery. Despite the gruesome nature of the injuries, Albernaz remarkably returned to the dugout the very next day, refusing to miss time leading his team.

The violent nature of foul balls in Major League Baseball has been a recurring safety concern for decades, though attention has primarily focused on fan injuries in the stands rather than personnel in the dugout. Foul balls leave the bat at speeds that can exceed 100 miles per hour, and the proximity of the dugout to home plate — typically just 50 to 70 feet away — leaves virtually no reaction time for anyone in the line of fire. Albernaz, who took over as the Orioles’ manager for the 2025 season after serving as the team’s bench coach, was reportedly struck while positioned in the dugout during live play. The impact caused a cascade of fractures across his orbital bone structure — the delicate bones surrounding the eye — along with a jaw fracture that has severely restricted his ability to eat solid food. Orbital fractures of this magnitude can carry risks including damage to eye muscles, changes in vision, and nerve damage, though the full extent of any long-term complications for Albernaz has not been publicly disclosed.

Albernaz’s decision to return to the dugout just one day after sustaining such serious injuries speaks both to his personal toughness and to a deep-rooted culture in baseball that valorizes playing — or in this case, managing — through pain. His situation draws inevitable comparisons to other notable foul ball injuries in professional baseball. In 2017, a young girl was struck by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium, an incident that accelerated MLB’s push to extend protective netting to the far ends of each dugout. By the 2020 season, all 30 MLB teams had extended their netting at minimum from foul pole to foul pole along the lower seating bowl. However, dugout occupants — managers, coaches, and reserve players — remain largely unprotected from certain angles, as the open-air design of the dugout facing the playing field is considered integral to the game. According to a Bloomberg analysis conducted several years ago, approximately 1,750 fans are injured by foul balls each year at MLB games, a figure that does not fully account for injuries to on-field and dugout personnel who face exposure on a daily basis throughout a 162-game season.

The dietary restrictions Albernaz faces underscore the severity of his injury in a way that transcends the typical “tough it out” narrative. A broken jaw typically requires four to six weeks of healing, during which the patient must avoid chewing and rely on liquid or pureed foods — hence the baby food regimen Albernaz described. Orbital fractures can take even longer to fully heal and may require surgical intervention if bones are significantly displaced or if there is entrapment of eye muscles. Whether Albernaz will ultimately need surgery remains unclear, but his continued presence in the dugout suggests he and the team’s medical staff believe he can manage his recovery while fulfilling his duties. The incident may prompt renewed conversations within MLB about whether additional protective measures — such as reinforced dugout railings, protective screens on the open face of dugouts, or mandatory protective eyewear for coaching staff — should be explored. For now, Albernaz’s commitment to his team despite severe facial trauma has earned widespread admiration across the baseball world, even as it raises questions about where the line should be drawn between dedication and personal health.

Looking ahead, the Orioles organization will need to monitor Albernaz’s recovery closely throughout the coming weeks. The physical demands of managing a major league club — long days, extensive travel, and the stress of in-game decision-making — could complicate his healing process. If complications arise from the orbital or jaw fractures, surgical intervention could force him to step away temporarily, potentially requiring the coaching staff to adjust responsibilities. The broader baseball community will also be watching to see whether this high-profile incident catalyzes any formal review by MLB of dugout safety protocols, a conversation that has simmered for years without resulting in significant structural changes to dugout design.