The Wild Card Series Game 1 between the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros proved that a foul ball can turn into a nightmare within a second. Even for the person standing directly behind home plate. Home plate umpire Alex MacKay took a painful foul ball to the groin in the second inning but avoided serious injury and continued the game.

In the second inning, Lucas Spence’s foul ball bounced behind the plate before striking MacKay in the groin. It immediately forced the home-plate umpire to double over and catch his breath. MacKay, on his first career postseason assignment, was fortunate to avoid a serious injury and eventually continued the game.

The incident underscored why protective gear behind the plate is essential.

“Umpire Alex MacKay took a foul ball to the n—,” Jomboy Media shared via X.

On Tuesday, MacKay was positioned in his standard slot stance behind the catcher, squaring up to track the incoming pitch over the heart of the plate. An 84 mph slider by Hagen Smith deflected off Spence’s bat and bounced behind home plate.

Medical staff and crew members attended to MacKay as the game was briefly halted. Though MacKay avoided serious injury, the moment was frightening.

Fortunately, the incident did not threaten the game’s continuation or the safety of players.

However, it is not the first time that a foul ball has hit MacKay.

MacKay narrowly escaped an injury on September 16, 2026. That day, he had to use quick reflexes to dodge a blistering 90 mph line-drive foul ball off the bat of Junior Caminero while positioned at third base. He lost his footing and fell during that play but emerged entirely unscathed.

However, while MacKay rose again, the Astros couldn’t.

The Astros lost 3-6 to the White Sox, and the blame largely goes to their pitching.

Houston’s rookie opener, A.J. Blubaugh, struggled in the first inning by giving up two walks. Then an error by Christian Walker loaded the bases. It allowed Munetaka Murakami to drive in the first run on a sacrifice fly.

In the second inning, reliever Bryan King hit a White Sox batter to load the bases. Then, he allowed a two-run single to Sam Antonacci, pushing the White Sox lead to 3-0.

The White Sox extended their lead with a 432-foot solo home run by Colson Montgomery in the fourth and an RBI single by Chase Meidroth in the fifth.

The only time the Astros showed signs of life was when pinch-hitter Nelson Velazquez crushed a two-run homer in the fifth. Jose Altuve also drove in an infield single in the eighth to bring the score to 6-3. But the Astros could not close the gap, losing 6-3.

For MacKay, there’s no update yet, and he will likely continue in the next game as well. Still, Tuesday served as another reminder of the job risk for MLB umpires.

Foul balls have always proved fatal for MLB umpires

MacKay was fortunate to leave unhurt, but not everyone.

On June 9, 1969, veteran AL umpire Cal Drummond was working the plate during a game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox at Memorial Stadium. A high-velocity foul ball struck him squarely in the face mask.

Though Drummond managed to finish officiating the game, he was hospitalized later that night after suffering severe head trauma and subsequently lapsed into unconsciousness for several days. Ironically, the White Sox were the common team between now and then.

After undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain, Drummond attempted a comeback through the minor leagues in 1970. Sadly, during an MLB game on May 1, 1970, he suffered a stroke targeting the precise, injured area of his brain and passed away a few days later.

MLB umpires are required to wear all protective guards. It’s unclear if MacKay wore any of those. If not, then MLB has just averted a major accident.