MLB umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was able to walk off the field after taking a line drive to his head while working first base during Monday's game between the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets.
The incident took place in the seventh inning as Minnesota held a 3-0 lead. Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor hit a line drive down the first-base line that hit Wendelstedt in the head and sent him falling to the ground.
Scary moment from todays Mets VS Cardinals game as 1B umpire Hunter Wendelstedt takes a 90mph baseball off the head pic.twitter.com/my7wGmfxFt
— Paul (@PaulyMets) April 16, 2025
Replay shows that the ball hit Wendelstedt on the left side of his head.
Scary moment in Minnesota as @MLB Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt took a line drive off his temple 😳🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/vrcVnsKjC8
— Mike Lawrence (@AwesemYo) April 16, 2025
Trainers immediately tended to Wendelstedt as he remained face down on the ground. Wendelstedt was eventually able to stand up and walk of the field with medical staff at his side. He did not return to the game.
Second-base umpire Adam Hamari moved to first, and a three-man crew finished the game that the Twins won, 4-3 in 10 innings.
Umpires not working home plate are not required to wear helmets. Details of Wendelstedt's condition weren't immediately clear after the game. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that he "heard" that Wendelstedt was "fine."
Carlos Mendoza says that he's heard that first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt is "fine" after being hit in the face by a line drive in today's game pic.twitter.com/uvK8Jxuju3
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 16, 2025
"I heard he's fine," Mendoza said. "That was scary. Briefly, I asked, as soon as the game was over. Every time you see something like that, it's just scary.
"So I'm glad that he's doing well. Just praying for him"
Wendelstedt, 53, is a veteran umpire working his 28th MLB season. He worked the 2014 World Series.
