BALTIMORE -- Craig Albernaz walked into the press conference room at Camden Yards with a smile on his face, a red mark on his right cheek and bruising around his right eye. For the Orioles' manager, Tuesday was just another day at work.
"Oh, hey everyone," Albernaz quipped to the local media. "It's good to see everyone."
About 19 1/2 hours earlier, Albernaz endured the scariest incident of his lifetime in baseball. The 43-year-old skipper was hit in the face by a foul liner off the bat of Baltimore's Jeremiah Jackson during the fifth inning of a 9-7 win over Arizona at Camden Yards -- a game that Albernaz didn't see the end of in-person, as he was transported to a nearby hospital.
Albernaz sustained at least seven fractures in his right cheek and a broken jaw. He won't need surgery -- and his jaw didn't need to be wired shut -- but he's on a strict baby-food diet. He also can't blow his nose.
Yet, here was Albernaz, ready to go to work and lead the red-hot O's, winners of six of their past seven, into Tuesday's matchup against the D-backs.
"I kind of have to show up every day. We play every day, to work," Albernaz said. "This is what we’re here for. We’re here for the players. We have a game. I’m physically able to be here. So let’s go. ...
"If my jaw was wired shut, I’d still be here. You just strap on and go about your next day.”
It was quite wild how everything unfolded after Albernaz was struck by the ball while standing in his typical spot near the railing in the first-base dugout.
"When it initially happened, obviously, I felt it. It squared me up pretty good," Albernaz said. "My initial thought was, 'I’ve got to cover up my face,' because if it was really bad, I didn’t want my family to see it on TV, and also guys in the dugout. So I put my hand over my face, and that’s when I took the steps down toward the dugout, got underneath the tunnel."
Head athletic trainer Scott Barringer approached Albernaz, who assured he was OK, though he thought his cheek may be "shattered." Albernaz cleared concussion protocol, but the Orioles' medical staff wanted him to get a CT scan (which the manager tried to delay until the end of the game, but was not allowed to).
Albernaz first snuck into his office to call his wife, Genevieve, and his three children (C.J., Norman and Gigi) to let them know he wasn't in too bad of shape. The family had been listening to the game on the radio while driving home from C.J.'s baseball game, but they had already been contacted by O's team personnel, who were giving them constant updates on Albernaz.
A few players visited Albernaz in his office, including Jackson, Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish and Chris Bassitt. At that time, Bassitt mentioned Jackson's sixth-inning grand slam, which Albernaz hadn't yet seen because his TV was on a delay.
So, Albernaz decided to make a brief return to give Jackson a hug before leaving the ballpark.
"I wanted to be a part of it," Albernaz said. "I was on the top step and I looked over, and I saw Scott standing there, and he kind of looked at me like, 'Let’s go.' I was like, ‘Do I have to?’ And he’s like, ‘Yes.’ So that’s when I had to go."
The Orioles later retrieved Jackson's slam ball, and the 26-year-old infielder gifted it to Albernaz with a signed message: "Sorry, homie."
Albernaz continued to listen to the game during the ride to the hospital, and he got checked in in time to watch closer Ryan Helsley toss a scoreless ninth inning to secure the save. Albernaz didn't leave until close to midnight, but he was good to go after being let go by the radiologist and the staff.
It hurt for Albernaz to talk on Monday night, but he wasn't bothered by it on Tuesday. In fact, he was feeling so much better that he planned to stand in the exact same spot in the dugout upon his return.
"I might wear a mask in the dugout today," Albernaz joked. "I might grab that Ravens helmet that’s on my desk and bring it out there."
Despite everything that happened, Albernaz was in good spirits. He may not be looking forward to his temporary meal plan -- "Gigi will have a better diet than I do," he quipped -- but he believes it will help his recovery if the O's continue to play well.
"To me, it was just one of those things where it was a matter of time where we had one of these wins," Albernaz said of Monday's come-from-behind victory. "It was just great to see everybody, collectively, do it."