Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge was reportedly injured when Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman lined a foul ball into the Rays’ dugout Thursday.
Bigge was leaning on the dugout rail — not far from the left-handed batter’s box where Rutschman was stationed — when the ball hit the side of his face.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported that Bigge was loaded onto a stretcher and taken off the field on a cart, giving a thumbs up to the crowd along the way.
Injured #Rays person loaded onto stretcher and taken off field on cart, gave a thumbs up to crowd several times
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 20, 2025
The scary incident took place during the bottom of the sixth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
Rutschman himself looked “distraught” after hitting the line drive, according to Jacob Calvin Meyer of the Baltimore Sun on Twitter/X.
Scary scene here. Somebody in the Rays dugout was struck by an Adley Rutschman foul line drive.
The cart is being brought out, and the stadium is silent. Rays players in the dugout and on the field look distraught. So did Rutschman.
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) June 20, 2025
“You could tell by reaction of hitter, pitcher and others it was a serious issue,” Topkin wrote on Twitter/X. “Athletic trainer Joe Benge signaled for paramedics cart and stretcher is being taken into dugout.”
Foul ball someone in #Rays dugout and you could tell by reaction of hitter, pitcher and others it was a serious issue. Athletic trainer Joe Benge signaled for paramedics cart and stretcher is being taken into dugout
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 20, 2025
Bigge, a 27-year-old right-hander, has a 2.40 ERA in 13 appearances out of the Rays’ bullpen this season. The Harvard graduate is currently on the injured list with a right lat strain.
According to Ryan Bass of Rays television, Bigge never lost consciousness after being hit by the 105-mph liner.
Update on #Rays reliever Hunter Biggie: He was struck on the side of the face with that 105 mph line drive, but never lost consciousness. He can see out of both eyes, and continues to be evaluated at a local hospital.
Cash: “He’s coherent. He’s talking to the physician. He’s…
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) June 20, 2025
“He’s coherent,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Bigge, via Bass. “He’s talking to the physician. He’s going to have a lot of tests over right now. I think he’s getting some tests done, and probably throughout the night.”
Horrible scene in Tampa, as Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge was hit in the face by a 105 mph foul ball while in the dugout.
He was stretchered off the field and gave a thumbs up as he exited.
Kevin Brown on the Orioles TV call for MASN. #MLB pic.twitter.com/FtkaA52oaC
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 20, 2025
Rays pitcher Connor Seabold ended up walking Rutschman, before Gunnar Henderson flied out to end the inning with the Orioles holding a 4-1 lead. That proved to be the final score of the game.
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“It’s terrifying,” Orioles manager Tony Mansolino said after the game. “We sit in these dugouts every night and it a lot of ways you feel like a sitting ducks a lot of nights.”
Tony Mansolino reacts to Hunter Bigge getting hit by a 105 mph line drive from Adley Rutschman, the win in the series finale and more. pic.twitter.com/xNh13Gl1c1
— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) June 20, 2025
The scary moment interrupted an important American League East rivalry game, as the Orioles are looking to make up ground from their disastrous start to the season.
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Baltimore, widely expected to contend for a playoff berth in 2025, began the day with a 31-42 record — fifth place in the five-team AL East.
Tampa Bay, at 41-33, has taken advantage of a recent hot stretch to pull within two games of the division-leading New York Yankees.
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