The worst freak injuries in spring training history

The clumsy bug must have been in the spring training air in 2012. David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays had to exit an exhibition after prolonged neck spasms. The pitcher apparently dried off his head too hard with a towel in the dugout. Price said it was nothing new for him, as it had happened twice before, but wasn’t too worried. He would be back in action within two to three days.

In another event of stairwell misfortune, Yankees pitcher David Robertson missed a step while carrying, of all things, empty boxes. Robertson was unable to put pressure on his right foot and the team was bracing for the worst as there was no immediate diagnosis. His 2012 season was intact after four medical tests cleared Robertson with a bone bruise atop his foot.

Pittsburgh’s Corey Hart received one of spring training’s weirdest injuries in 2015. Hart sliced his foot on a hot tub at the Pirate’s complex. He required three stitches and a few days to recover.

Giants first baseman J.T. Snow was nailed in the face by a Randy Johnson fastball during a 1997 exhibition game. He suffered a fractured eye socket, but remained conscious after being struck. Although Snow made an eventual return, his performance was hampered by blurred vision.

Steve Sparks might never be able to shake off this 1994 spring training mishap. Following the lead of a team motivational speech, which featured a group of strongmen ripping apart phone books, the former Brewers pitcher decided to copy the stunt. He was halfway through his tearing of the now obsolete telephone directory when his left shoulder popped out of the socket. Unfortunately for Sparks, he was was unable to make it to the 1994-95 roster, but did land into it a year later.

Hall of Famer Willie Mays wasn’t going to take it easy during a practice game. In 1959 exhibition against the Red Sox, Mays stole third base and slid into home. He collided with Boston catcher Sammy White at the plate. White’s shin guard severely caught Mays’ leg and the Giants slugger left the field with a large gash, which required 35 stitches to close.

In another case of a severe slide to home, Robin Ventura suffered a broken ankle when we his cleats caught the plate in 1997. The White Sox third baseman quickly recovered and was back on the field four months after the incident.

After leaving Seattle for Milwaukee in 1978, catcher Ray Fosse (left) took a mean spill during Brewers’ practice. Fosse was running towards first base and tripped in a hole down the line, sustaining multiple injuries to his right leg. The most serious required surgery to repair a knee ligament.

The first unfortunate circumstance set back Diamondbacks’ Matt Williams 43 games in 2000. The Arizona third basemen fouled off a pitch, the ball striked Williams in the foot and he suffered multiple broken bones. Two years later, during routine drills, Williams slipped while fielding grounders and suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle on his left leg. He missed opening day.

Sometimes a sweet tooth can lead to trouble. Giant’s Kevin Mitchell found himself in the dentist’s chair for an emergency procedure in 1990. Mitchell bit into a microwaved doughnut and immediately threw it into the trash after the chocolate frosting penetrated his tooth. This was a minor setback and the San Francisco slugger was back to practice in no time.

While fielding fly balls during a 2015 practice, Michael Saunders stepped on a sprinkler. Not affecting his foot, the injury instead went up into his knee. The Toronto left fielder said that he felt a pop immediately after coming into contact with the sprinkler. It was later revealed Saunders tore his left meniscus and was sidelined until the All-Star Break.

Hunter Pence had to miss the first day of the Astros’ first full-squad workout of 2008. Pence accidentally fell through a sliding glass door and spent the night before getting stitched up in the emergency room. He sustained multiple lacerations to his hands and knees and minor cuts all over his body. Within a week, Hunter recovered and was back training with the team.

Unfortunately for Michael Taylor in 2013, this injury did not happen during play or even on the field. While in the Oakland A’s dugout, Taylor was tossing away his gum. The 6-foot-5 outfielder ran his hand into a light fixture on the ceiling and cut his pinky finger. Taylor had already missed the first week of training and it was prolonged further until the injury healed.

In 2015, Chris Sale was unloading items from the back of his truck and into his home in Arizona. The White Sox pitcher reportedly had an awkward landing after hopping off the truck bed, fracturing the side of his right foot. Sale was sidelined for three weeks.

Elvis Andrus had to sit out a single practice game in 2013 for soreness. The Rangers shortstop wasn’t injured during play, rather he might have been active a little too soon after getting a tattoo. Granted, Andrus’ new ink was sentimental as he dedicated his left shoulder to the memory and likeness of his late father. He was back on the field after missing the one day.