Major League Baseball (MLB) Athletics rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer has been placed on the 10-day injured list (IL) following emergency surgery after being struck in the testicles by a foul ball.

The Athletics announced today (July 22) that Kuroda-Grauer was diagnosed with a testicular rupture and underwent surgery.

Kuroda-Grauer started as the fifth-batter and third baseman in an away game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday. He was injured during his second plate appearance in the top of the fifth inning with the team leading 2-0.

With a count of two strikes, he swung at an inside fastball, was struck in the groin by a foul ball, and collapsed to the ground.

Complaining of excruciating pain, he gritted his teeth and stepped back into the batter's box, sending the fourth pitch—an outside high fastball—into center field for a single.

Kuroda-Grauer was substituted before defense in the bottom of the sixth inning and was subsequently transported to the hospital.

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told local media, including MLB.com, on July 22, "I saw Kuroda-Grauer in the hospital after his emergency surgery, and his spirits were bright. It's unbelievable that despite feeling immense pain, he returned to the batter's box, got a hit, and even played another inning of defense. His grit is remarkable."

Kuroda-Grauer recorded 2 hits in 3 at-bats with 1 RBI, including his first big league career home run in his first plate appearance of the game, helping the Athletics secure a 5-2 victory.

Promoted from the minor leagues on June 30, Kuroda-Grauer had been performing exceptionally well before the injury.

Over his first 16 games since debut, he batted .417 with 25 hits in 60 at-bats, tying the Athletics franchise record for the most hits in the first 16 career games, a record previously set by Eddie Murphy in 1912.
 
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)