Braves Infielder Charlie Culberson Hospitalised after being Hit in the Face by a 90 mph Pitch

Atlanta Braves Infielder Charlie Culberson suffered what initially looked like a horrific injury. In the match against Washington Nationals, a 90 mph pitch hit straight into his face when he immediately fell to ground and the medical staff rushed out for assistance.

“You have one of your teammates that everybody loves in this room…… So just pray for Charlie,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said after the match.

Snitker felt that it was the bone around his eye that was affected.

“He was good when he went to the hospital,” he said. “I mean, he was alert and all of that stuff.”

“I think it was bones around his eye, and the report I got is that when they took him to the hospital, he was aware,” Snitker said. “Hopefully [the prognosis is good], I don’t know. We just have to wait and see. We just hope and pray for the best.”

The Braves are yet to give an update on Culberson’s status.

“We just don’t (know) any of the extent of what’s going on yet. We are just praying for him and his family. That’s scary,” Snitker said.

“You can’t bunt when the ball is coming at your face. That just sounds like … My God. I am not going to even get into that. I am sitting there looking at this (guy), pooling blood on the ground. And I am like, ‘Come on.’ ”

The injury seemed so brutal that even his opposition manager felt “awful”.

“It was awful,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “You never wish that upon anybody. You don’t. I hope he’s all right and my plan is to talk to [Snitker] either tonight or tomorrow and make sure he’s all right and I know they get it, it stinks, but it’s part of it. I know Rodney feels awful. I just hope Culberson’s all right.”

While the umpire seemed to follow the rules in the situation, it did not seem to go well with Braves catcher Brian McCann

“That’s a ridiculous call,” he said. “You can’t move. He didn’t make an attempt at it. He squared around and tried to get out of the way. It’s just bad all the way around.”

“You just hope for the best,” McCann said. “You just hope it didn’t get him directly in the eye. You hate to see stuff like that happen.”

Culberson has been performing multiple duties for the Braves in the absence of few other players who are injured. His injury now is a big blow to the Braves, and the timeline is still to be known.