San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez was forced out of their game against the Houston Astros on a stretcher after a sickening collision knocked him out cold.
Arraez, 28, was running to first base in the opening inning at Minute Maid Park when he flew straight into the left shoulder of Astros utility player Mauricio Dubon on Sunday night.
While both players fell to the ground, it was the Padres star who took the worst of it; laying motionless in foul territory next to first base as trainers and coaches from both teams came out to tend to him.
Dubon and Padres first-base coach David Macias were first to rush over, before San Diego manager Mike Shildt and other MLB officials soon followed.
A number of players stood and watched as Arraez was placed on a backboard and carted out of the stadium. As he was being placed on the cart, he put his arm around Shildt.
The Venezuelan player also appeared to give a thumbs up before making his way to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
MLB star Luis Arraez was knocked out cold after a sickening collision on Sunday night
San Diego has since confirmed that Arraez is in a stable and responsive condition despite the terrifying moment.
Shildt revealed he has sustained a cut to his jaw which is still being examined by medics.
The team wrote on X: ‘Luis Arraez has been transported to Houston Methodist Hospital for further evaluation. He is currently stable, conscious, responsive, and able to move his extremities.’
Shildt also said on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast: ‘That was very scary. We don’t see those kind of collisions in our sport a whole lot.
‘Luis is a really really tough guy and to see him down like that you know something is pretty serious. Took a pretty good blow.
‘Sounds like he’s stable now, has feeling in his extremities. Is alert, aware of what took place which is clearly good.
‘Now we’re worried about, because he’s got a little bit of a cut on the jaw, worried about the jaw and what’s the stability of that. And of course the cervical, making sure it’s stable as well.’
Arraez had to be carted off the field after suffering the terrifying injury on Sunday evening
Arraez, a three-time MLB All-Star and one of the greatest contact hitters of his generation, entered hitting .287 on the season with three home runs and seven RBIs.
He is currently enjoying his seventh season in the major leagues and second with the Padres after being traded by the Miami Marlins in 2024.
His professional career began when the Minnesota Twins signed him as an international free agent back in 2013, before he was called up to MLB for the first time six years later.
After four seasons with the Twins, Arraez spent two with the Marlins before heading to San Diego.
