O's top prospect Basallo exits after hit by pitch; Fairbanks clears air after postgame mix-up

BALTIMORE -- As soon as Samuel Basallo was hit in the right wrist by a fastball in the ninth inning of the Orioles’ 6-2 loss to the Rays at Camden Yards on Wednesday night, the 21-year-old future star bent over in pain. The left-handed-hitting slugger quickly exited the field and was escorted down the steps of the first-base dugout by a trainer.

Fortunately for Basallo (Baltimore’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall) and the O’s, the youngster avoided the worst. X-rays were negative for a fracture, so it doesn’t appear it will be a long-term concern for Basallo, though it’s unknown whether he’ll play in any of the final four games of the season.

The hit-by-pitch later caused some confusion surrounding Tampa Bay right-hander Pete Fairbanks, whose 96.6 mph four-seam fastball plunked Basallo before he closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

After the contest ended, Fairbanks was caught on camera blowing a kiss toward what appeared to be the direction of Baltimore’s dugout. The 31-year-old’s actions were actually intended to be for a fan, who had been yelling from the seats above the dugout in the ninth.

“I had nothing to their dugout. I have nothing but respect for the guys over there that are playing hard, competing,” Fairbanks said. “That's the last thing on my mind is to do anything that could look like -- obviously, it might have -- but to rub in anything that I feel terrible about is not what happened.”

Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino understood Fairbanks was not chirping at his team.

“I know there was somebody above our dugout screaming at Pete, and then as I was walking down the steps there at the end, I think he must have made some type of gesture in the direction of the dugout,” Mansolino said. “But our dugout didn't say a word. I'm assuming he heard the fan.”

Fairbanks made it clear he felt bad about hitting Basallo, who is only 29 games into his big league career and is expected to be a centerpiece in Baltimore after signing an eight-year, $67 million extension in August.

“Unfortunately that is part of the game, right?” Fairbanks said. “When you're throwing a five-ounce ball and they're trying to hit it, sometimes stuff like that happens. I feel terrible. I hope that it's nothing lasting, and he's able to hopefully finish healthy and, if not, be full-go to hopefully make a good impression next year.”

How much does Fairbanks respect the O’s? Well, he knows that he has a similar off-field interest as some of the players in Baltimore’s core.

“Look, from everything I've heard about their squad from [former Orioles/current Rays reliever Bryan Baker] and everything, I don't think that I'd be chirping a group of LEGO-loving people like that,” Fairbanks said. “Especially after, unfortunately, smoking their No. 1 prospect.”