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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has seven fractures in the orbital area, as well as a broken jaw after taking a foul ball to the face, but remains in the dugout with his team.
However, Albernaz will have a big change in his daily routine over the next month. He needs to eat porridge.
The injury occurred Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, when the foul ball came into the Orioles dugout and hit Albernaz on the right side of his face. But he returned to Camden Yards on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after suffering multiple facial injuries.
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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz watches before an MLB game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, on April 8, 2026. (Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)
Reports from Baltimore claim that he has a visible bruise on the right side of his face and will need to consume baby food for the next six weeks while his face heals.
“That’s what we’re here for,” Albernaz told reporters, according to the Baltimore Banner. “We’re here for the players. We have a game. I’m physically able to be here, so let’s go… If my jaw was wired shut, I’d still be here.”
ORIOLES MANAGER CRAIG ALBERNAZ TAKES THE LINE TO FACE IN A TERRIFYING SCENE
Albernaz said he was feeling “pretty good” considering the circumstances of Monday night’s foul ball by one of his own, Jeremiah Jackson.
“The ball hit me quite a bit on the cheek, but I feel good,” he added. “Fortunately, there was no surgery. I think in total there were at least seven fractures in the cheek area, the orbit and then a fracture in the jaw. But, fortunately, it doesn’t have to be wired. No surgery. I just have to eat baby food for six weeks.”
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, Maryland on April 10, 2026. (Mitch Stringer/Image Images)
Albernaz, like many managers, was standing at the top of the dugout steps when Jackson was late to a pitch that immediately rocketed toward his teammates and coaches. It’s an unfortunate situation for Albernaz, but the first-time MLB coach is clearly showing his bravery and resilience for his team.
They also showed it to them on Monday night, as they were losing at that point in the game. However, the Orioles rallied to win the game 9-7.
A lot of that had to do with Jackson, who hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the victory.
“I hit and then I saw Alby holding his face,” Jackson told reporters. “My heart skipped a beat. I was able to look at him afterwards and see that he was okay…Knowing that he was okay helped me. It made me feel a little better. I’m happy that he’s okay and in good spirits.”
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)
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The Orioles’ victory keeps them tied with the New York Yankees at the top of the American League East standings with a 9-7 record.
Albernaz will continue to lead the way in the dugout in the future, even if his diet has to change.
