Renato Núñez felt the ball slam into his left hand Monday afternoon, spun out of the batters' box and measured the levels of pain and anger.
Bones tend to shatter in these circumstances, especially in the part of the hand that absorbed the pitch from Tigers reliever Buck Farmer.
Núñez stayed in the game and X-rays were negative, but he remained on the bench last night in the Orioles' 8-5 loss to the Blue Jays at Camden Yards.
Mark Trumbo was available to play after being scratched the previous day with tightness in his upper back. But Núñez was a reserve in name only. He wasn't leaving the dugout until after the final out.
"I'm going to be ready for (Wednesday)," he said.
The season is down to 11 games. Núñez feared that he'd miss all of them until getting the results of the X-rays.
"Yeah. I think that's why I was so mad when the guy hit me," he said.
"I know that that part of the hand is, like, it breaks really easy, and as soon as I got hit I was, like, saying a little bit of bad words. But I was just mad. It's part of the game and thank God it's not broken. "
The interview didn't include sharing the bad words, but I believe him.
The at-bat in the eighth inning began poorly for Núñez, who swung through a pitch and reached for the back of his right leg. Assistant athletic trainer Patrick Wesley rushed onto the field to check on him and would return moments later.
"I kind of felt something," Núñez said. "I don't know. Maybe like the hip or something. Inside of my glute or something on the side. But I do treatment today, too, and nothing. Hopefully, it'll be 100 percent tomorrow.
"What can I say? I was just trying to help my team win. It's just part of the game."
Ryan Eades' first pitch in the bottom of the eighth nailed Jeimer Candelario, who stood at the plate and glared at the reliever. Both benches were warned and the situation didn't escalate.
A retaliation for Núñez being hit?
"Talking with Ryan after, it's a ball that just got away," said manager Brandon Hyde. "It didn't look real good. We don't play that game, honestly, and it was just one of those balls that got away and then he threw the ball really well after that. I don't know if it settled him down or what happened, but just an unfortunate deal."
Núñez's next home run will be his 30th of the season, if he's able to get it over the last 11 games. He's second on the club behind Trey Mancini, who hit No. 34 last night.
"I mean, of course if you're at 29 you want to get to 30, if you're at 19 you want to get to 20," Núñez said. "But like I say, every time I step to the plate I just try to do my job. Try to help the team. And if I've got to move the runner, I always try to play for the team.
"A little bit less focused on my numbers and more focused on whatever the team needs me to do to win the game."
Hyde has started Núñez at first base in 19 games and at third base in seven. He's been the designated hitter in 105, the bat still his most valuable tool.
"I like it on first," he said. "I like to be in the field, you know? I like to DH, too, of course, because I just want an opportunity to play. But I love being in the field, first or third, wherever they want to put me in the field. I've been playing first a little bit and it feels great. I like it."
* Mancini's homer last night also produced his 99th run. He's trying to join Jonathan Villar as the first set of Orioles teammates with 100 runs or more in the same season since Chris Davis and Manny Machado in 2015.
It would be the 11th time in Orioles history.
The 1996 Orioles set the team record by having four players score 100-plus runs: Brady Anderson, Roberto Alomar, Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Bonilla.
* While the Orioles continue to make outside hires for various departments, they're also likely to do some shuffling of personnel in the minors.
Nothing is official, but I've heard from various people that Single-A Delmarva manager Kyle Moore could join high Single-A Frederick as Ryan Minor's replacement. Minor league infield coordinator Dave Anderson would be given the managing job with the Shorebirds under this scenario.
Delmarva development coach Pat Leyland, son of former major league manager Jim Leyland, might manage one of the Dominican Summer League teams.
Triple-A Norfolk hitting coach Butch Davis has been offered a role on Double-A Bowie's coaching staff.
* I'm also hearing that former Orioles Mid-Atlantic executive scout Dean Albany is expected to accept a job as an area scout with the Phillies.
It always seemed like a natural pairing, and the Phillies apparently were quick to contact Albany.
I've heard that the Braves, with former Orioles director of scouting Joe Jordan working for them as a crosschecker, also had interest in hiring Albany. And there were other teams that reached out.