New York Yankees outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is counting his blessings after a terrifyingly close call in the dugout during Wednesday's clash with the Baltimore Orioles. A vicious foul ball, screaming off an opponent's bat, turned a mobile phone into a smoking pile of debris mere inches from the star's head.
The heart-stopping incident occurred in the top of the third inning at Oriole Park. As Orioles' hitter Jorge Mateo stepped up to the plate, he connected with a pitch from Yankees' ace Gerrit Cole, sending a line drive screaming down the third-base line.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Yankees' third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera made a spectacular leap, snagging the ball for a crucial out. However, the sheer velocity of the hit sent the ball ricocheting violently into the Yankees' dugout.
The result was instant and shocking. The ball struck a mobile phone that was resting on the dugout bench, completely demolishing the device in a cloud of plastic and glass. Chisholm Jr., sitting perilously close by, recoiled in a mixture of shock and relief, a look of stunned disbelief on his face as he realised how narrowly he had avoided a serious injury.
The dugout, previously a hub of focused concentration, momentarily erupted in a collective gasp. Team-mates quickly checked on the shaken centre fielder, the destroyed phone serving as a stark reminder of the ever-present dangers in the sport.
Despite the frightening interruption, the Yankees showed their trademark resilience. The game continued, with Aaron Judge later unleashing his own power by blasting a monumental 431-foot home run, helping to secure a 7-2 victory and a series sweep over their rivals.
This incident serves as a chilling reminder of the split-second perils players and staff face, even when they are seemingly safe off the field of play. Safety netting extends down the foul lines at all MLB ballparks, but this event highlights a vulnerable blind spot directly within the dugout area, prompting questions about whether further protective measures are needed to safeguard those in the team's own shelter.
