Ex-Yankees 1B, Judge’s debut record partner suffers baseball’s most bizarre injury

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A former New York Yankees player, who shared his debut day with Aaron Judge, has recently fallen victim to an unusual and almost comical injury. Tyler Austin, currently playing for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, suffered a peculiar mishap during a game against the Hanshin Tigers, as reported by Yahoo! Japan.

The incident unfolded when Austin, 33, was tagged out at home plate after a head-first slide while attempting to score from third base in the seventh inning. After returning to the dugout, covered in dirt, Austin went to change his uniform but accidentally struck his head on the dugout ceiling. Citing precaution, the team removed him from the game before the next inning.

Austin shares Yankees debut record with Aaron Judge

Austin, a first baseman and outfielder, launched his Major League Baseball career with the Yankees in 2016 and later played for the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Milwaukee Brewers before transitioning to Japan in 2019.

In a notable debut on August 13, 2016, the Yankees promoted Austin to their major league roster. His first Major League appearance that day became instantly memorable when he connected for a home run in his initial at-bat, facing pitcher Matt Andriese. Remarkably, his teammate Aaron Judge, also making his debut, followed suit with a home run in his first at-bat. This occurrence marked a unique moment in baseball history, as it was the first instance of two teammates hitting home runs in their debut at-bats during the same game.

Austin found himself at the center of controversy on April 11, 2018, during a game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. After being hit by a pitch from Joe Kelly, possibly in retaliation for an earlier incident where Austin spiked Brock Holt, tensions escalated rapidly. Austin expressed his frustration by forcefully slamming his bat into the ground before charging the mound, inciting a bench-clearing brawl. The incident resulted in the ejection of four players, including Austin. Subsequently, he faced a five-game suspension and an undisclosed fine. Upon appeal, Austin’s suspension was reduced to four games.

Austin’s tenure with the Yankees came to an end on July 30, 2018, when the team orchestrated a trade. The Yankees sent Austin, along with Luis Rijo, to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for pitcher Lance Lynn, marking a significant shift in Austin’s career trajectory.

His time in NPB has been marked by success, including earning an All-Star selection this season.

This incident serves as a light-hearted reminder that dugout mishaps can happen anywhere in baseball. In a similar incident a few years ago, another player missed a start after slipping in the dugout, underscoring that even the most routine spaces can present unexpected hazards.

While Austin’s misstep is certainly an odd addition to the list of baseball’s bizarre injuries, it highlights how even seasoned athletes are not immune to the unpredictable quirks of the game.

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