It’s always a bummer when a baseball player gets injured. They’re forced to sit out, sidelined, watching their teammates have all the fun. But whenever a player gets injured in a weird way, it’s always an interesting story. And so many players have gotten hurt in ways ranging from insane to simply hilarious.
Already this Spring Training, the New York Mets alone have been beset by a plethora of injuries, so let’s look at some of the craziest, funniest, wildest
Chris Coghlan clowns around (2010)
At the beginning of the decade, Marlins player and reigning Rookie of the Year, Chris Coghlan had a little too much fun with one of his teammates during a postgame interview. While applying a shaving cream pie to Wes Helms’ face, he somehow managed to tear the meniscus in his left knee.
Matt Holliday moths off (2011)
He didn’t land on the DL, but the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder did have to leave an August 2011 game when a moth flew into his ear.
Stephen Strasburg heats up (2012)
The righty had to leave a start after just four innings after an uncomfortable pregame mishap. He’d accidentally applied Icy Hot to his genitals.
Francisco Liriano alARMs his kids (2013)
In the weirdest Christmas story ever, Francisco Liriano broke his pitching arm slamming it into a door in an attemp to scare his children. In the process, he lost $11 million in guaranteed money.
Erick Aybar Chickens Out (2016)
The Braves’ veteran shortstop had to miss a game when he got a chicken bone stuck in his throat. To safely remove it, the doctor had to sedate Aybar, which required him to miss the next game.
Trevor Bauer’s drone draws blood (2016)
The 2016 postseason would have been memorable enough due to the epic showdown between the Chicago Cubs, who hadn’t won a World Series since 1908 and the Cleveland Indians, who now hold the longest World Series drought, since 1948.
But Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer’s pitching hand dripping blood on the mound during the ALCS gave it a little something extra. While repairing his drone, the propellors cut his pinkie finger, and though he tried to pitch through it, he left Game 3 when the stitches opened up during the first inning.
Martin Perez Gets Bullish (2017)
Luckily for Perez, his ridiculous injury came during the offseason, so the pitcher didn’t miss any playing time, but it’s wild enough that I’m including it anyway. While home at his ranch in Venezuela, Perez was startled by a bull. He fell and fractured his non-throwing elbow, but Perez got his revenge: he later killed and ate the bull.
Salvador Perez injures knee moving his suitcase (2018)
This one is extra sad now, because Sal just had Tommy John Surgery last week, but last spring, just two days before Opening Day, the Royals announced that their star catcher would miss over a month of the season due to a torn MCL in his left knee. But it wasn’t a game injury; Perez fell trying to carry his luggage up the stairs in his house.
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease for everyone! (2018)
This disease, which is generally known for afflicting children under the age of five, has also befallen quite a few baseball players over the years. In 2018, pitchers JA Happ and Noah Syndergaard had it.
Carson Smith injures shoulder tossing glove into
Last season, amidst the Red Sox’s bullpen woes, pitcher Carson Smith injured his shoulder when, in a moment of frustration, he threw his glove into the dugout after a pitching appearance against the A’s last May. He required season-ending surgery, a shame, considering he’d already missed most of 2016 and 2017 (he made his first appearance in September 2017) due to Tommy John surgery.
Brandon Morrow pants-ed himself (2018)
Clothes are a tough concept for athletes, apparently, because Cubs pitcher Brandon Morrow is only one of many MLB players in this series who had dressing-related injury. Last June, he injured his back while taking off his pants.
Brandon Nimmo gets food poisoning trying to cook for himself (2019)
Though it later turned out to be caused by something else, this story is too good not to include: earlier this month, Mets star Brandon Nimmo fell ill with what was thought to be food poisoning. He told reporters that he had attempted to cook himself chicken, but that it must not have been cooked all the way through. Tests later revealed that Nimmo simply had a virus, but maybe the team should offer some remedial cooking classes to their players just in case.
Joe Kelly’s back is raging from cooking Cajun (2019)
Former Red Sox pitcher turned Dodgers defector Joe Kelly is currently experiencing back soreness from standing too long while cooking Cajun food.
These stories get wilder and wilder by the decade, so stay tuned for the 2000s edition, coming soon!
Photo: New York Times
6 thoughts on “Injury Insanity: the Wildest Ways Baseball Players Have Gotten Hurt – 2010s Edition”