Luis Arraez Returns After Scary Collision, Initial Tests Positive but Caution Remains

Luis Arraez made his way back to the stadium after Sunday night’s 3-2 Padres win over the Astros, following a frightening first-inning collision with Houston’s Mauricio Dubón that sent him to the hospital.

Padres manager Mike Shildt called it the “best case scenario” given the circumstances, though he stressed the team remains cautiously optimistic.

“It was obviously a scary situation,” Shildt said. “Thankfully, the early test results were encouraging—no fractures, and everything looked stable. He did have a small cut along his jawline, and there were concerns about his jaw and cervical spine, but those appear okay for now.”

Despite the positive signs, Shildt urged caution.

“We’ve had situations before where initial results looked fine and later didn’t hold up. Luis was disoriented for a bit and didn’t know where he was—that’s concerning. While concussion tests so far are promising, we’re not declaring him in the clear just yet.”

The collision happened on the very first pitch of Arraez’s at-bat. He dropped down a drag bunt along the first base line, prompting a fielding play by Christian Walker, who flipped the ball to Dubón covering first. As Dubón crossed the bag, he collided with Arraez, whose face appeared to strike Dubón’s elbow.

Both players went down, but Arraez remained motionless near foul territory. Medical staff from both teams rushed out as teammates watched in concern. Arraez was stabilized on a backboard and carted off the field, though he managed to put his arm around Shildt before being taken away.

“It was terrifying,” said Dubón. “Seeing him not move like that—really tough. People know I’m not a dirty player, but plays like this can be misunderstood. The worst part is the threats that come afterward. It’s not easy.”

Fernando Tatis Jr., who hit the game-winning homer later, was emotional witnessing the scene.

“You feel helpless. I knelt beside him and just started praying. I almost broke down. Just thankful he’s okay now. It’s a tough part of the game, but things like this happen.”

Tatis had been advancing to second on the play and said he heard the impact from the base path.

“I had to check on him right away,” he said.

Dubón, who’s familiar with Arraez personally, expressed regret.

“I know him. That makes it even tougher. I braced for the hit—I honestly thought I’d come out worse. But there was really nothing either of us could’ve done.”

After a 10-minute delay, the game continued. Arraez, who entered Sunday hitting .287 with three home runs and seven RBIs, was replaced by Gavin Sheets in the lineup.

Despite the scare, his return to the ballpark postgame was a huge relief to both teams.

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