The Weirdest Injuries in the 2023 MLB, From a Basketball Accident to a Toilet Misadventure

Every year we’re amazed at the many creative ways baseball players can appear on the ever-popular Strange But True Injuries of the Year leaderboard.

So we’d like to thank this year’s baseball crowd for… cooking breakfast… playing the piano… and doing their best to get in and out of their hotel bathroom safely. But you know what’s especially great? None of these accidents even topped this list!

Real? Yes really. So here they come: the strangest but truest injuries of 2023.

First Prize: Eye Confession!

We always award Injury of the Year bonus points to guys who manage to get hurt while already hurt. So to the help of Rays warrior Pete Fairbanks, who couldn’t even cover up the Giannis impersonation that got him into this mess.

When Fairbanks met with the Rays media delegation in June after returning from a stint on the injured list with a hip infection, he brought with him a blinding black eye — and one of the great How I Did This stories of the 21st century.

It turns out this can happen to you too, when you try to dunk your 3 year old in the pool.

“I pulled the pool basketball hoop on my face after dunking a three-year-old,” Fairbanks admitted, “to teach him a life lesson at an early age that if you’re in the paint, you can’t get caught. unexpectedly below the edge.”

To which we can only hope his son said: Send it in, Jeroen!

Second prize: It’s all the alarm clock’s fault!

We’ve always thought of Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi as a sleeping giant.

We didn’t know!

Why did he retire early from a great start in September at Yankee Stadium? Because he was cramped, he said: after having “only” 11 hours of sleep – unlike his usual one 12 to 14 hours. So he may not lead the league in shutouts. But what does it matter. You’ve got to like his chances to lead the league in shuteye. And if this is a sleep goal of yours, T-shirts are available!

Third prize: If you (and your back) have to go

When Diamondbacks third baseman Evan Longoria strained his back last July, he would only miss a week or so. Then why did it become three weeks? Because he said he aggravated his back getting up from the toilet in a hotel bathroom in San Francisco.

So you thought sex could be dangerous to a baseball player’s career? Beware of the outhouse!

Fourth prize: There goes his step ratio

Tony Gonsolin successfully runs down the hill during a start in July. (Jerome Miron/USA Today)

Need more proof that most spring training drills are overrated? Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin left for a routine fielding exercise during spring training last March — and got through the field section just fine. Turns out it was his exit strategy he should have worked on.

He tripped while walking off the field, sprained his ankle and missed the first four weeks of the season. But was it all worth it? He didn’t make a mistake all season!

Fifth Prize: They had plenty of time to be an even greater father

Finally, there were so many great fatherhood moments this season… which led to not-so-great moments trying to take the field… so we’re rounding them up here. If their families print and frame this, it should make a wonderful Father’s Day gift.

• Giants pitcher Anthony DeSclafani broke his toe while playing piano with his son!

• Adam Wainwright burned his finger… while cooking breakfast for his son!

• Josh Donaldson cut his thumb while putting together a toy for his daughter!

That all seems difficult. But hey, at least they weren’t trying to dunk their kids in the pool.

The year in Strange but true

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(Top photo of Pete Fairbanks: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)