Fermin's Concussion
San Diego Padres place catcher Freddy Fermin on 7-day concussion IL after warmup pitch.
San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin is on the injured list after getting hit in the head — not by an opposing pitcher, but by a bounced warmup pitch from his own teammate. The incident happened in the sixth inning of Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, when a pitch from reliever Yuki Matsui spiked into the dirt and struck Fermin on the left side of the head, according to Associated Press.
The Padres placed Fermin on the 7-day concussion injured list on Sunday. To replace him, the team called up catcher Blake Hunt from Triple-A El Paso. Pitcher Ty Adcock was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot, per AP News.
Fermin's Second Head Strike of the Season
This was not Fermin's first scary moment in 2026. Back on April 15, a foul tip struck his catcher's mask and forced him out of a game. He cleared concussion protocol that day and was labeled day-to-day. Saturday's hit was different. Padres manager Craig Stammen said Fermin was "a little woozy out there" after the warmup pitch, according to Associated Press.
Stammen described Fermin's injury as "more severe" than a separate head strike that Xander Bogaerts suffered in the same game. Bogaerts was hit by a 93.5 mph sinker from Orioles starter Trey Gibson in the fifth inning. He cleared concussion protocol by Sunday and was back in the starting lineup, per AP News.
Blake Hunt Gets His Long-Awaited MLB Debut
Blake Hunt, 27, is the man stepping in. The Padres drafted Hunt in the second round in 2017. They then traded him away in the 2020 Blake Snell deal with Tampa Bay. After bouncing through the Rays, Orioles, and Mariners systems, Hunt signed a minor league deal with San Diego in November 2025 and worked his way back, according to 12news.
In 8 Triple-A games since returning from an oblique injury, Hunt hit .269 with a .837 OPS. He gets his MLB debut with the same organization that drafted him nine years ago.
Padres' Catching Depth Pushed to the Limit
The Padres were already in a tough spot behind the plate. Primary catcher Luis Campusano has been out with a toe injury on the 10-day IL. That left Fermin and backup Rodolfo Durán holding things together. Now, with Fermin gone too, the team is leaning on a first-time big leaguer and a veteran backup to manage its pitching staff, per Winnipeg Free Press.
Fermin had been on a hot streak before the injury. He hit all 3 of his 2026 home runs in June. His season slash line stands at .161 average and a .505 OPS. Concussion recovery times for catchers are hard to predict, since the position demands constant physical strain.
Adcock DFA'd Amid a Chaotic Night in Baltimore
Pitcher Ty Adcock paid the roster price. He signed a one-year MLB deal in December 2025 but was designated for assignment Sunday to open a 40-man roster spot for Hunt. If another team claims Adcock on waivers, the Padres lose a bullpen arm they added specifically for depth, according to Yahoo Sports.
The game itself was a chaotic one. Beyond the two head injuries, Padres manager Craig Stammen was ejected in the ninth inning after Orioles star Gunnar Henderson was hit by a pitch. It was a night the Padres would rather forget — except for the win, per MRT.
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