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San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth was hit in the face by a 96 mph fastball Saturday night against the Los Angeles Angels, but remained in the game as the team rallied late for a 4-1 victory.
Cronenworth, already the Padres’ all-time hit-by-pitch leader, was hit in the chin during the fifth inning by a high pitch from Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. The ball barely grazed Cronenworth’s shoulder before making contact with his chin.
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth reacts after being hit by a pitch during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, California on April 18, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)
The game was briefly delayed as Cronenworth was checked out by Padres trainers, but he remained in the game.
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“He’s a hockey player and he didn’t lose any teeth,” manager Craig Stammen said after the game. via MLB.com. “So he had to stay in the game. That was the rule. He took one off the chin, literally, and stretched it out, and then he stayed in the game, made some plays for us.”
Cronenworth added that it was the first time he had been punched in the face since his hockey days.
“First reaction was just: Try to make sure my jaw is OK.”
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth reacts after being hit by a pitch during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, California on April 18, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)
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Saturday’s win comes on the heels of reports that the family of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler is nearing a sale of the team. The Wall Street Journal first reported the likely deal with private equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.
According to reports, the team is expected to be sold for $3.9 billion in a record deal for a Major League Baseball team. The previous mark was set by Steven Cohen, who purchased the New York Mets for approximately $2.4 billion in 2020.
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth is greeted by teammates after scoring during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, California on April 18, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)
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