Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman struggled early, giving up three runs and loading the bases. Then things got worse. A high fastball drilled Orioles catcher James McCann in the face, sending him to the ground with visible bleeding. Trainers rushed out with towels, bar napkins, and gloves to stop the bleeding under his nose. The helmet had spun off on impact and blood was dripping fast. Fans in the stadium looked stunned. Backup catcher Adley Rutschman, who had the day off during the doubleheader, began warming up to take over.
After several minutes and multiple nose plugs, McCann managed to stand up and got a standing ovation from the crowd. He walked off, but then surprisingly came back, cleaned up with a new jersey and fresh gauze. It looked like he might try to stay in despite the injury. The fans clapped again as he returned to the field, and Rutschman stopped warming up. McCann caught the rest of the inning, even as Gausman was clearly rattled. After two more pitches, the inning ended on a groundout.
Despite blood loss and a long delay, McCann finished the frame with nose plugs in and didn’t miss a beat. The crowd gave him another ovation on his return, impressed he stayed in. Gausman didn’t hide his frustration during the delay but stayed on the mound. Wild situation early in the game, but McCann’s grit stood out in a rough spot.