Blaze Alexander’s Hand Fracture Sparks Brief Bench-Clearing Incident

In the seventh inning of Baltimore’s 8–2 win over Kansas City at Camden Yards, Royals right-hander Lucas Erceg’s 95 mph fastball struck Orioles third-baseman Blaze Alexander on the left hand. The pitch, delivered on a 1-2 count, resulted in a non-displaced fracture. Alexander was escorted off the field after a brief exchange with Erceg and a short benches-clearing moment that was quickly de-escalated by umpire and coaching staff.

Blaze Alexander explains hit-by-pitch frustration, responds to Vinnie Pasquantino

Alexander, a 27-year-old utility player, had been batting .312 with a .807 OPS, tallying four home runs and 29 RBIs in 82 games. Manager Craig Albernaz called the injury a “gut punch” and noted the team will meet with doctors during the All-Star break. With eight players already on the injured list, his absence adds to Baltimore’s roster challenges as the club sits fourth in the AL East.

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Albernaz said Alexander “has a good attitude about it” and will be evaluated for rehab after the break. Teammate Pete Alonso expressed frustration, emphasizing the loss of both skill and nightly production. Erceg maintained the hit was unintentional, stating he was “trying to get outs, not trying to hit guys.”

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Royals first-base leader Vinnie Pasquantino dismissed the notion of intent, labeling the incident “common sense” and suggesting Alexander was “feeling good about himself” after a recent hot streak. He added that the team was focused on securing outs rather than providing free baserunners.

Blaze Alexander explains hit-by-pitch frustration, responds to Vinnie Pasquantino

• “Never thought it was intentional but the [two] quick pitches to try and catch me off guard led to me now missing games,” — Blaze Alexander, social media post

Blaze Alexander explains hit-by-pitch frustration, responds to Vinnie Pasquantino

• “From a fan’s perspective, you can probably see that. But I’m out there trying to get outs, not trying to hit guys,” — Lucas Erceg, Royals pitcher

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• “You know it hurts, but he has a good attitude about it,” — Craig Albernaz, Orioles manager

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• “Losing him — not just his skill set, but also losing the performance night in, night out — yeah, it’s a tough one. I’ve had broken hands before, so I know that’s kind of not an easy pill to swallow. It’s really frustrating. But I hope he has a really quick and speedy recovery,” — Pete Alonso, Orioles teammate

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