Toronto Blue Jays player injured by fan that threw baseball at him

If you didn't already think the Toronto Blue Jays were cursed this season, you might after a bizarre injury to Jesús Sánchez on Sunday. 

The game was already getting out of hand for the Jays, as the Baltimore Orioles were enjoying a cushy 6-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. As if the deficit wasn't enough, Toronto suddenly had to deal with another injury. 

In between batters, Sánchez abruptly went down with an apparent injury in the right field of Camden Yards. The 28-year-old went down clutching his right wrist, but the cause of the injury was not immediately obvious. 

After some initial confusion, it was discovered that a fan had thrown a baseball from the Baltimore bleachers that struck Sánchez in the hand, forcing him to leave the game with a right-wrist contusion. 

It was as bizarre an injury as you'll ever see in the Major Leagues. 

Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez left the game with an injury after a fan threw a ball and hit him pic.twitter.com/PtS8buBbrU

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 31, 2026

The first reaction from Blue Jays fans may be anger, as it could be perceived as a rival fan getting in a cheap shot to injure a Toronto player, but that doesn't appear to be the case. 

According to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, Blue Jays manager John Schneider was asked about the incident after the game, and he described what happened.

Sánchez was apparently having some "playful" banter with a young fan, and the outfielder put up his glove as if to play catch. Some wires were crossed, the kid thought Sánchez was serious and threw the ball while the Blue Jays player wasn't looking, and it struck his hand. 

Blue Jays manager John Schneider says Jesus Sanchez told him he was having a “playful" back & forth with a 12-year-old fan & motioned to the fan “almost like, ‘hey, let’s have a catch.’

And I think the kid took it literally and hit Sanch with the ball."pic.twitter.com/IdBzu2o1Cv

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) May 31, 2026

The fact that it was a complete accident will only add salt to the wound of Toronto's injury struggles this season. The Blue Jays can't seem to stay healthy with a long list of players currently on the IR, including Addison Barger, Dylan Cease, and Alejandro Kirk. 

Losing Sánchez would be another big blow, as the Dominican outfielder has been one of Toronto's most consistent performers this season. Through 56 games, Sánchez is batting .285 with six home runs and 28 RBIs. 

Sánchez didn't appear to take things too personally and admitted after the game that it was caused by a misunderstanding between him and the fan. 

"It was a misunderstanding," Sánchez said, according to Zwelling. "I wasn't trying to play catch right there with them. I just looked at them, and they thought maybe that I wanted them to throw the ball back to me."

Jesus Sanchez, through Blue Jays interpreter, on getting hit by a fan Sunday:

"It was a misunderstanding. I wasn't trying to play catch right there with them. I just looked at them and they thought maybe that I wanted them to throw the ball back to me."pic.twitter.com/IdBzu2o1Cv

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) May 31, 2026

The Blue Jays are desperate to catch a break from all these injuries, but it doesn't appear relief will be coming any time soon.