Jake Cronenworth takes 96 mph fastball to the face, stays in the game as Padres rally to beat Angels

San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth was struck successful the look by a 96 mph fastball Saturday nighttime against the Los Angeles Angels but remained successful the crippled arsenic the squad rallied precocious for a 4-1 victory.

Cronenworth, who is already the Padres’ all-time hit-by-pitch leader, was struck successful the chin during the 5th inning aft a precocious transportation from Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. The shot hardly grazed Cronenworth connected the enarthrosis earlier making interaction with his chin. 

San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth reacts aft being deed by a transportation during the 5th inning against the Los Angeles Angels successful Anaheim, Calif., connected April 18, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)

The crippled was concisely delayed arsenic Cronenworth was checked retired by Padres trainers, but helium remained successful the game.

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"He’s a hockey player, and helium didn’t suffer immoderate teeth," manager Craig Stammen said aft the game, via MLB.com. "So helium had to enactment successful the game. That was the rule. He took 1 disconnected the chin, literally, and toughed it out, and past stayed successful the game, made immoderate plays for us."

Cronenworth added that it was the archetypal clip helium was struck successful the look since his hockey days.

"First absorption was just: Try to marque definite my jaw’s OK."

San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth reacts aft being deed by a transportation during the 5th inning against the Los Angeles Angels successful Anaheim, Calif., connected April 18, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)

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Saturday’s triumph comes connected the heels of reports that the household of precocious San Diego Padres proprietor Peter Seidler is nearing a merchantability of the team. The Wall Street Journal archetypal reported the apt woody with backstage equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.

According to reports, the squad is expected to beryllium sold astatine a valuation of $3.9 cardinal successful a grounds woody for a Major League Baseball team. The erstwhile people was acceptable by Steven Cohen, who purchased the New York Mets for astir $2.4 cardinal successful 2020.

San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth is greeted by teammates aft scoring during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels successful Anaheim, Calif., connected April 18, 2026. (Caroline Brehman/AP)

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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