Scary Craig Albernaz moment ended with an incredibly nice gesture from Orioles' fan favorite

When Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz took a foul ball to the face in the dugout, it was easy to envision the worst-case scenarios. Albernaz immediately covered his face and went down in the tunnel, and ended up needing to go to the hospital. Given some of the horrific injuries that have resulted from errant foul balls in recent history, there was a good chance that Albernaz wasn't going to just be able to rub some dirt on his cheek and jump right back into the fray.

However, that kind of ended up happening anyway. Albernaz was back the next day with a scrape on his cheek and a bit of a black eye. While that would normally indicate that he dodged a substantial injury, Albernaz then revealed that he has at least seven fractures in his cheek, and his jaw is broken. While he managed to avoid needing to have his jaw wired shut, he is under strict doctor's orders as to what he can eat. The guy isn't even allowed to blow his nose.

Thankfully, that Albernaz was the one relaying this information to reporters while still being around to manage does give confidence that he will be just fine. Moreover, not only did Albernaz show his toughness and dedication by immediately returning, but the actions by the player responsible for the foul ball show how much the Orioles have become attached to their new manager.

Jeremiah Jackson's gesture after Craig Albernaz's injury speaks to the Orioles' new culture

Jeremiah Jackson has quickly become a fan favorite in Baltimore. Jackson's rise last season was one of the bright spots during a pretty disappointing season, and he is off to a good start this season as well. It was just deeply unlucky that it was a foul ball off Jackson's bat that ended up catching Albernaz square.

However, this story has a happy ending...well, sort of. Albernaz is obviously hurt and is going to be eating various flavors of mush for a while, but Jackson made sure to let his skipper know he was sorry and thinking of him. Jackson hit a grand slam in the sixth inning of the same game, and not only did he make sure to go visit Albernaz after the injury, but he gave him the grand slam ball that was signed with the inscription, "Sorry homie."

It may seem like a silly thing, but it does speak to the type of team and clubhouse that Albernaz is building right now. His players, not just Jackson, rallied around him to make sure he was okay, but still maintained their focus on the field to secure the win. Albernaz's face may disagree at the moment, but everyone might look back on what was an admittedly scary situation and see it as a positive overall.

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