Padres Pitcher Randy Vásquez Faints After Being Hit by Ball

Padres Pitcher Randy Vásquez Faints After Being Hit by Ball

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vásquez fainted on Thursday on his way to the X-ray room at Dodger Stadium, according to manager Craig Stammen. The incident occurred after Vásquez was struck by a line drive on his right ankle during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Vásquez had regained consciousness and was undergoing testing at a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure, Stammen said late Thursday.

Hit by a Combacker

The incident took place in the bottom of the first inning. While pitching to Mookie Betts, Vásquez was hit by a 98.8 mph groundball that struck him in the ankle. The ball caromed to first baseman Ty France, who completed the play for the out.

Vásquez was visibly in pain, dropping to one knee. Assistant athletic trainer Ricky Huerta immediately checked on the right-hander. After throwing a few test pitches, Vásquez appeared to be able to continue and finished the inning. He went on to pitch two more innings before being replaced by Wandy Peralta at the start of the fourth inning.

Fainting Incident

Later, as Vásquez was walking to the X-ray room with an athletic trainer, he briefly lost consciousness. Stammen described the event, stating, “Luckily, the trainer kind of caught him, and he just was unconscious for a little bit.”

The manager indicated he was unsure of the exact duration of Vásquez’s unconsciousness or its specific cause. “It could have been from the pain in his ankle, the anxiety of the situation, or the stress of the situation,” Stammen speculated. “Our bodies do some crazy stuff.”

Stammen expressed optimism, adding, “We’ll know more hopefully tonight and tomorrow, but right now, he’s good.”

Season Performance

Vásquez, 27, has a 4.71 earned run average across 17 games, including 16 starts, this season. After a strong start, his recent performance has seen a downturn, with an ERA of 13.03 over his last three outings.

Key facts

The health and availability of starting pitchers are crucial for any team’s success in a long MLB season. Vásquez’s sudden illness raises immediate concerns for the Padres’ rotation depth. Fans will be closely watching for updates on his condition and the team’s plans moving forward.

Source: The Athletic, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7418518/2026/07/03/randy-vasquez-padres-fainting-incident/