Orioles' James McCann stays in game after taking fastball to his face

Baltimore Orioles catcher James McCann may have had the most impressive 1-for-3 batting performance of his career in Monday's 11–5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

In the first inning, McCann was hit in the face by a 95 mph fastball from Yariel Rodríguez. Everyone watching feared serious injury for the 11-year veteran as he lay face-down in the dirt while trainers attended to him. Blood could be seen pouring from his nose as he attempted to get up.

Amazingly, McCann wouldn't leave the game despite the continued bleeding from his nose which stained his jersey and required gauze stuffed up his nostrils. Broadcasters and fans in the stands rightfully assumed that McCann would leave the game from there. Walking to first base and touching it was surely a show of defiance or maybe a rules formality.

But no. McCann went back into the clubhouse to change into a clean jersey and insisted on staying in the game. Presumably, trainers checked him for further injury or concussion symptoms. However, he kept playing at the most grueling position in baseball.

That ended a miserable day for Rodríguez. (OK, it likely wasn't as painful as McCann's.) The rookie walked the first three batters he faced to load the bases and gave up two runs on a single and groundout. Two more batters reached base on a catcher's interference call and a walk before Rodríguez hit McCann.

Twenty-three of Rodríguez's 43 pitches missed the strike zone. He lasted 2/3 of an inning, allowing four runs (three earned) on one hit and four walks. In 10 starts, the 27-year-old has a 4.31 ERA with 43 strikeouts, 23 walks and 31 hits allowed in 39 2/3 innings.

By the way, McCann was awarded an RBI for getting hit by a pitch, driving in Ryan Mountcastle to give Baltimore a 4–0 lead. He went on to hit a bloop single in the fifth inning and came around to score on a home run by Anthony Santander.

Following the game, O's manager Brandon Hyde called the incident "a scary scene" that showed how tough McCann is. Yet he took heavy criticism for not taking McCann out, even if tests indicate that no serious injury was sustained.

"He is incredibly, incredibly tough," said Hyde. "Catches eight more innings after that. He doesn't have a head or eye trauma or injury. We're suspecting it's a broken nose. He's going to get a CT scan tomorrow. All signs right now are we dodged a major bullet."

Pitcher Zach Eflin, just acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, got the win despite giving up 10 hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Monday afternoon's game was the first of a doubleheader. McCann was not in the lineup for Game 2 with Adley Rutschman behind the plate at catcher.