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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was involved in a scary moment during the team’s win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.
Albernaz was hit by a line drive off the bat of Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson in the fifth inning. The ball hit the manager’s left cheek and he went to be looked at by the team’s medical staff.
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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz speaks to the media in the dugout before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago on April 8, 2026. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
Albernaz returned to the game briefly after Jackson hit a grand slam to help the Orioles to the 9-7 victory.
“He’s doing good. Just as a precaution, he’s going to get it scanned,” Orioles bench coach Donnie Ecker said.
Jackson said he had a sinking feeling when he saw Albernaz in pain after the errant liner.
“I hit and then I saw like Alby holding his face. My heart dropped a little bit,” Jackson said. “I was able to see him afterward and see that he was okay.”
AVALANCHE COACH TAKES PUCK TO THE FACE, LEAVES PICKS OF FINAL SEASON GAMES
Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz stands on the field before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md., on April 10, 2026. (Mitch Stringer/Imagn Images)
“Knowing he was OK helped. It made me feel a little bit better,” Jackson added. “I’m just glad he’s okay and in good spirits.”
Albernaz and Jackson embraced after the infielder hit the big home run in the sixth inning.
“It was amazing,” Jackson said of the impromptu embrace from his manager. “You never want to hurt anybody and Alby is great. It was sad. But he was fine and he’s in good spirits, so that made me feel better.”
Albernaz is in his first year as Baltimore’s manager. He served as bench coach and assistant manager for the Cleveland Guardians in 2024 and 2025.
Baltimore Orioles’ Jeremiah Jackson rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Baltimore on April 13, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
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Baltimore improved to 9-7 with the win and is tied with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.
