Oakland Athletics rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer underwent surgery after rupturing a testicle during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. The injury occurred in the fifth inning when Kuroda-Grauer fouled a ball into his groin area.
Despite the impact, Kuroda-Grauer managed to stay in the game. He completed his at-bat, hitting a single, and then played defense in the field before being substituted out in the bottom of the sixth inning. He finished the game with a 2-for-3 hitting line, including his first major league home run, before heading to the hospital for treatment.
"I think he might be the only player in history to (rupture) a testicle, stay in the game, get a hit and play another half inning of defense," manager Mark Kotsay told reporters.
A press release from the Athletics confirmed that Kuroda-Grauer is resting comfortably following the procedure. The team has placed him on the injured list and recalled Max Muncy to fill his roster spot.
The injury comes at a difficult time for the Athletics, who have struggled recently, going 2-8 in their last ten games. Kuroda-Grauer had been a notable bright spot for the team, posting an OPS of 1.019 and a .417 batting average with 25 hits in 62 plate appearances over his first 16 games.