Reliever Hunter Bigge of the Tampa Bay Rays is carried off the field on a stretcher following an incident where he was hit by a foul ball in the dugout during a game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Woah, Tampa Bay Rays' Hunter Bigge Takes a Foul Ball to the Face 🤕👨🦰
Thursday's game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles took a grim turn during the seventh inning when reliever Hunter Bigge got hit by a chuckin' 105 mph foul ball, courtesy of Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman 🚂💥. Bigge was chillin' by the railing amidst the dugout when BAM!—that ball went directly for his kisser.
Medical personnel rushed to the scene right away, and Bigge was stretchered off the field, flashing a thumbs-up to the cheering crowd before he left 💪. Kevin Cash, Rays manager, later confirmed that Bigge is alert, in the hospital, and undergoing tests. He managed to dodge going unconscious, which is one upside in this grim situation.
Foul balls hitting dugout inhabitants are a bit of a classic trouble in baseball, even with those protective railings. Willy Adames, another pitcher, felt the sting back in 2023 when he got plunked in the head, and he stayed in the hospital for a spell, missing roughly two weeks of play.
At 27 years old and currently on the injured list with a lat strain, Bigge is no stranger to the DL 🤕. Maybe that's why he was hanging out in the dugout during the game. The Rays snatched Bigge from the Chicago Cubs in the Isaac Paredes trade during last year's deadline. Despite his DL status, the guy has a decent 2.51 ERA in his professional career 👑.
With the remainder of the Tampa Bay Rays' 2025 home games taking place at George M. Steinbrenner Field, spring training digs of the mighty New York Yankees, you gotta hand it to Bigge for his grit and staying power. The Trop was heavily damaged by Hurricane Milton back in October, forcing the Rays to look for stadium alternatives during the season.
Now, let's hope Bigge pulls through this tough time and returns to the mound soon. Get well soon, champ! 🤞🙏⚾️
[1] Bigge Sent to Hospital after Being Hit by Foul Ball | MLB.com (https://www.mlb.com/news/tampa-bay-rays-reliever-hunter-bigge-hits-by-foul-ball-sent-to-hospital/c-362701084)
[2] Hunter Bigge Update: Rays Pitcher Undergoes Surgery for Fractures after Foul Ball Collision | ESPN (https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36270630/hunter-bigge-tampa-bay-rays-pitcher-undergoes-surgery-fractures-following-foul-ball-collision)
[3] Photos: Play Stopped due to Hunter Bigge's Injury during Rays vs Orioles Game | Tampa Bay Times (https://www.tampabay.com/sports/baltimore-orioles/2025/06/20/hunter-bigge-tampa-bay-rays-hit-in-face-by-foul-ball/)
[4] Update on Hunter Bigge: Rays' Reliever Remains Hospitalized Following Foul Ball Collision | USA Today (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/rays/2025/06/21/hunter-bigge-tampa-bay-rays-remains-hospitalized-following-foul-ball-collision/127351451/)
- Despite the unfortunate incident in Thursday's game where he was hit by a 105 mph foul ball, Tampa Bay Rays' pitcher Hunter Bigge shows grit and staying power, being hospitalized and undergoing tests.
- Foul balls hitting dugout inhabitants continue to be a concern in baseball, as Bigge's ordeal follows similar incidents such as Willy Adames' in 2023.
- With Bigge remaining hospitalized and recovering from fractures after being hit by a foul ball, the Tampa Bay Rays must navigate the remainder of their 2025 season away from the damaged Tropicana Field, playing their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field instead.
