© Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz took a line drive off the face during a game against Arizona. He provided an update on his injury status the following day.
Albernaz did so during a press conference with media members on Tuesday. He showed off the gruesome battle wound while detailing the severity of the setback.
The injury is significant, though it will not require surgery. He revealed a recovery timeline as well as a list of do’s and don’ts.
Craig Albernaz took a line drive to the face.
Here’s video, courtesy of MASN, of the foul ball off Jeremiah Jackson’s bat that struck Orioles manager Craig Albernaz. Scary scene. pic.twitter.com/5OjR39MSkH
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) April 14, 2026
During the bottom of the fifth inning, infielder Jermaine Jackson smacked a foul ball into the Orioles‘ dugout. It found Albernaz, who was standing at the top step.
The scene was scary. The manager was quickly attended to by medical staff. Images showed his face clearly battered by the baseball.
If Craig Albernaz looks like he took a foul ball off of his face, that’s because he did. pic.twitter.com/jmWh9fX4Nt
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 14, 2026
Jackson would hit a grand slam in his next plate appearance to give his team the lead. He’d homer in the eighth frame to provide some insurance in a 9-7 win.
Albernaz’s health was an immediate concern after the game.
The manager provided an update.
#Orioles manager Craig Albernaz says that he has 7 total fractures in his orbital area and a broken jaw after getting hit with a foul ball. He says he doesn’t need surgery or his jaw wired shut but has to eat soft foods for 6 weeks. #Orioles #Birdland @wjz pic.twitter.com/uPNOmizEOl
— WJZ Sports (@WJZ13sports) April 14, 2026
Craig Albernaz spoke to the media to detail the impacts of the line drive. He will not have his broken jaw wired shut, though he did suffer multiple fractures.
He also laid out his recovery timeline.
He is not able to eat solids for six weeks. He can’t blow his nose. He has been barred from throwing batting practice.
Otherwise, he says he’s good to go.
“I feel good, actually,” the manager said, “considering everything. Medical team did a great job. They took care of me. The ball hit me pretty flush.”
While he was in good spirits, his face was clearly swollen, which is to be expected. It does not seem he’ll miss much time, if any.
He was back on the bench for Tuesday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
“I heard the crowd and I was like, ‘You know what? F— this, I’m going in the dugout.'”
The man who hit Albernaz, Jermaine Jackson, has not let the scary moment impact his play either. After going 3-for-3 in Monday night’s game following the foul ball, he started Tuesday’s matchup with two hits in his first two at-bats.