The New York Mets were on the road Thursday for a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles. SNY had two thirds of its classic broadcast team in the booth for the game, as Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez called the game from Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
During the second leg of the doubleheader, a foul ball was sent back in the direction of the booth. Cohen noticed the ball flying their way and prepared to duck in case it was going to hit him. Meanwhile, Hernandez had absolutely no idea where the foul ball was hit, and it ended up whizzing past his face in the booth, narrowly missing hitting him in the head.
It was only after the ball had passed Hernandez's head and hit the floor in the booth that the 71-year-old noticed what had happened.
"Cedric Mullins fouls one back this way––that went right past Keith's ear and he never saw it," said Cohen while delivering the play-by-play call.
LOOK OUT KEITH!
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 10, 2025
Keith Hernandez was almost hit with a foul ball...and didn't react in time 🤣 pic.twitter.com/jor8cvaQn8
The broadcasting partners couldn't help but crack up at the total lack of awareness displayed by Hernandez.
"We can laugh about it now, but if that ball had been just a few feet more to the left, you could've been done for the season. Or maybe forever! You could've been back in the incinerator," said Cohen.
"My eyes are going on me, and my reflexes," Hernandez added. "We just never get a ball up here! Never."
Fortunately, Hernandez came away from the situation unscathed and he and Cohen were able to share a hearty laugh over the near miss. But as Cohen pointed out, Hernandez was a matter of inches away from a truly scary moment in Baltimore.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mets Announcer Keith Hernandez Was So Oblivious to Close Call With Foul Ball in Booth.
