SAN DIEGO — Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz was removed from Monday night’s game against the San Diego Padres after an unfortunate incident in which he was struck on the head by a foul ball hit by his own teammate, Josh Bell.
The ball, which was caught on a bounce, hit Ruiz unexpectedly. He quickly clutched his head with both hands and exited the bench for further evaluation. Riley Adams took Ruiz’s place in the lineup.
After the game, which saw the Nationals secure a 10-6 victory, manager Dave Martinez mentioned that Ruiz was being taken for a CT scan to assess the injury. Martinez explained, “The ball hit him quite hard on the side of the head. We all ducked, and when he went down, we became quite alarmed. There’s a noticeable lump on the side of his head, and we’re a bit concerned at the moment. We’re hopeful he will be fine.”
During the fourth inning, Bell managed a sacrifice fly, contributing to a four-run rally for Washington.
This marks the second instance in just a few days where a major league player has been hurt in the dugout due to a foul ball. In a similar case, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge was involved in a more dramatic incident when a sharp ball off the bat of Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman struck him in the face while seated in the dugout last Thursday.
Bigge was immobilized on a backboard and provided a thumbs-up gesture before being transported via ambulance to a nearby hospital for further tests. According to Rays manager Kevin Cash, Bigge maintained consciousness throughout the ordeal and was able to communicate with emergency responders, reassuring them of his alertness.