Hunter Feduccia was set up on the outside corner ready to receive a curveball from Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Bobby Miller but Michael Busch of the Chicago Cubs barreled it up and sent it right back where it came from.
Busch, a former Dodgers prospect, sent a 106 mph line drive up the middle and hit Miller in the head.
Miller raised his hands as the ball came toward him, knocking his hat off as he collapsed to the ground. A red welt appeared on the right side of his head as he left the game.
Once the umpires called time, Feduccia and third baseman Max Muncy rushed to the mound to check on their teammate who was on the ground with trainers checking on him.
"It's obviously very terrifying and frightening but thankfully he seems like he was ok," Muncy said when he returned to the clubhouse. "When the trainer came out and asked him if he knew where he was, he made a little joke about hanging a curveball and you know right then he was fine.
"You have to take it slow with that type of thing, he might be fine now you got to see how he is the next couple of days."
Miller was able to stand up and walk off the field and into the clubhouse under his own power.
Feduccia added that Miller "seemed responsive" while he was on the ground and answered all of the trainer's questions accurately, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from AM 570 Sports.
Miller is competing for the Dodgers' No. 5 starter spot, facing competition from Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May. Heading into Cactus League play, Miller was considered the least likely to win the role of the three.
It is unknown whether he will have to miss time because of the injury or not.
Last season, he posted a 2-4 record with an 8.52 ERA across 13 starts which was not how he anticipated the season going for him after such an impressive debut season. During his rookie season, posting an 11-4 record with a 3.76 ERA over 124.1 innings.
