The Tampa Bay Rays were rocked by a terrifying scene Thursday night when relief pitcher Hunter Bigge was struck by a 105 mph foul ball while seated in the dugout. The chilling moment unfolded during the seventh inning of the Rays vs. the Baltimore Orioles matchup at George M. Steinbrenner Field, as catcher Adley Rutschman fouled a pitch directly into Tampa Bay's dugout.

Bigge, who is currently on the 15-day injured list with a lat strain, was hit squarely in the face and collapsed immediately. The Rays injury halted the game as teammates and opponents alike knelt on the field in visible shock.

Emergency medical staff responded quickly. After a few tense minutes, Bigge was placed on a stretcher and carted off. He gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he exited, offering a hopeful sign. The MLB dugout safety debate was immediately reignited.

Awful Announcing shared the stunned stadium atmosphere in a post to X (formerly Twitter), pairing it with a clip of the Orioles’ broadcast team reacting in real time. Kevin Brown called the scene on MASN, while the caption captured the harrowing moment unfolding in Tampa.

“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.”

Another powerful perspective came from a fan in attendance. User @moveRays2Tampa posted on the platform after recording Bigge’s emotional exit from the field below.

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“Bigge has been stretchered off. Bloody face, but ultimately gives the thumb up. Hopefully it’s not too serious. Prayers up for Hunter Bigge 🙏”

The injury is yet another reminder of the vulnerabilities players face even when not on the field. While MLB has extended netting for fan safety, dugout protection remains limited. The call to address this gap is growing louder among fans and analysts.

Bigge, 27, has had a promising start with the Rays, posting a 2.57 ERA over 15 appearances last season. The Harvard graduate and rising bullpen arm was acquired in 2024 from the Chicago Cubs and quickly made his presence felt.

Thursday’s game resumed after an eight-minute delay, with Baltimore leading 4-1. But the real conversation moving forward will be focused on how the league responds to this incident and what steps can be taken to prevent another player injury like this one.