Baseball might look like a slow-paced game, but surely not for the faint-hearted. A troubling update coming out of Japan proves how vulnerable the players and umpires are on the field to a freak accident. Pitchers taking direct hits with 100 mph+ line drives and catchers being hit by the batter’s bat swing sometimes prove fatal. But this time, a home plate umpire was hit by a bat.

The latest update is scarier as the umpire is still unconscious since the incident happened on April 16.

“A Japanese umpire remains unconscious more than two weeks after being struck in the head by a flying bat,” the New York Post reports.

The incident happened during a game between the Yakult Swallows and DeNA BayStars in Tokyo on April 16. Home plate umpire Takuto Kawakami took a direct hit on the head when the Swallows’ Venezuelan slugger Jose Osuna lost control of his bat while fouling off a 2-1 offering in the eighth inning. The footage shows that Osuna’s bat swing was so fierce that it flew over and hit the side of Kawakami’s head.

The impact was so hard that Kawakami collapsed on the field and was immediately attended by the BayStars’ catcher. Medical personnel attended immediately, and a perimeter was created as Kawakami was treated. He was rushed to the hospital, and an emergency surgery was reportedly carried out. As per NPB, Kawakami was initially kept in the intensive care unit, but then he was shifted to the general ward.

However, he is still in a coma and has yet to respond since April 16.

The now-viral footage was heartbreaking. It shows Kawakami removing his mask before collapsing on the field, leaving the 28,678 fans in the stands silent.

“I’m very sorry about what happened today when my bat hit the main umpire,” Osuna apologized via X. “I hope he’s well, I’m really sorry.” Surely, it’s not his fault, and everyone is praying for Kawakami’s speedy recovery. But it’s time to review the safety level of everyone present on the field. While NPB called the situation an “extremely serious matter,” and promised to review the safety gear of the umpires, hopefully, it shouldn’t get too late.

Currently, the protective gear used by the home plate umpires protects against high-velocity impacts, featuring a protective mask, chest protector, leg guards, and specialized plate shoes. However, they reduce damage but cannot guarantee total safety from a direct hit. Kawakami was an example. There were already several examples of such fatal injuries to baseball umpires. Hopefully, there will be no more after Kawakami.

MLB umpires are also not fully protected against injuries

While this latest incident occurred in NPB, MLB is no exception. The most recent example from MLB was during a Yankees-Marlins game last month. Umpire Ron Kulpa took a direct foul tip to his face. While his safety mask took the impact, the foul off a fastball was so hard that he felt dizzy. Kulpa was removed from the game and sidelined as per MLB concussion protocol.

Then again, back in 2021, the same incident happened during a Rockies-Padres game. Same as Kawakami, a bat slipped off the hitter and hit umpire Brian O’Nora on his head. He was reportedly under medical observation for a long time and missed a few games due to a concussion.

So, despite the best and modern safety gear, baseball umpires, especially the home plate umpires, are prone to such accidents. A bat slipped off a batter, or a foul hit was so fast that the minimum reaction time is not possible.

MLB introduced ABS and a few other technologies in the game. Now, it’s time to review the safety, position, and placement of the baseball umpires. Meanwhile, let’s hope that Kawakami comes back from the coma and starts his job behind the home plate.