Jake Cronenworth takes 96 mph fastball to the face, stays in the game as Padres rally to beat Angels

San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth was struck in the face by a 96 mph fastball Saturday night against the Los Angeles Angels but remained in the game as the team rallied late for a 4-1 victory.

Cronenworth, who is already the Padres’ all-time hit-by-pitch leader, was struck in the chin during the fifth inning after a high pitch from Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. The ball barely grazed Cronenworth on the shoulder before making contact with his chin. 

The game was briefly delayed as Cronenworth was checked out by Padres trainers, but he remained in the game.

“He’s a hockey player, and he didn’t lose any teeth,” manager Craig Stammen said after the game, via MLB.com. “So he had to stay in the game. That was the rule. He took one off the chin, literally, and toughed it out, and then stayed in the game, made some plays for us.”

Cronenworth added that it was the first time he was struck in the face since his hockey days.

“First reaction was just: Try to make sure my jaw’s OK.”

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Saturday’s win comes on the heels of reports that the family of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler is nearing a sale of the team. The Wall Street Journal first reported the likely deal with private equity billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.

According to reports, the team is expected to be sold at a valuation of $3.9 billion in a record deal for a Major League Baseball team. The previous mark was set by Steven Cohen, who purchased the New York Mets for approximately $2.4 billion in 2020.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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