A Boston Red Sox minor leaguer decided to fight fire with fire after he was drilled in the helmet by an errant pitch during Friday’s game.
Worcester Red Sox outfielder Braiden Ward was struck in the helmet by Nashville Sounds pitcher Tate Kuehner during Friday’s game at First Horizon Park in Nashville, Tenn. during the top of the second inning. Ward responded by immediately throwing his bat at Kuehner, who put both hands up as if to signify that he hadn’t been trying to hit Ward.
Batter gets hit in the helmet and tosses his bat at the pitcher pic.twitter.com/55Y6Ie0QUV
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 18, 2026
Naturally, both benches cleared, though the situation did not escalate any further. Ward was ejected from the game, while Kuehner was not.
Ward’s reaction may have been one of growing frustration over the frequency of his plunkings. Remarkably, this was the eighth time this season in just 15 games that Ward has been hit by a pitch. Then again, this is nothing new for Ward, who was hit a staggering 19 times last year and 34 times the year before that.
Ward, 27, is a former 16th round pick. This is his first season in the Red Sox organization, having previously been in the Colorado Rockies’ farm system.
