MLB Twitter reacts to Pete Fairbanks returning from IL with a black eye after dunking on his three-year-old son: "I have a new favorite player"

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks returned from the 15-day IL with a new injury. He was seen with a rather large shiner under his right eye. The cause of this? Dunking on his three-year-old son.

Fairbanks was playing basketball with his son when he dunked the ball and pulled the hoop down on his face in the process. He stated that he was trying to teach his child not to be unaware when he's down in the paint.

This is one of the more odd injuries over recent years. The medical staff could not have been happy to see Fairbanks returning to the clubhouse with a black eye. When a player is on the IL, they're supposed to take it easy, not get more injuries.

Luckily, it's just a black eye and nothing else. It wouldn't be surprising if the Tampa Bay Rays' medical staff sent a team to Fairbanks' house to remove the hoop so he doesn't injure himself again.

Pete Fairbanks received some new fans after this one. As somebody listed at six foot six, it's hilarious to think how he looked dunking on his young child.

In trying to teach his kid a lesson, Fairbanks may have taught himself one. When on the IL, it's probably best not to try and dunk on your three-year-old son.

Pete Fairbanks' return should help bolster the Tampa Bay Rays' bullpen

Pete Fairbanks has been solid for the Tampa Bay Rays this season. Before hitting the IL, he appeared in 13 games, compiling a 1.54 ERA on ten strikeouts.

Pitching is one of the many areas of the game where the Rays are thriving. They hold a 3.55 team ERA which ranks them third in the league. Only the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins have a better team ERA. Teams are also hitting a league-low against the Rays at .224.

While they have cooled off from their red-hot start, this team looks like the real deal. They are the complete package when it comes to hitting, defense, and pitching.

With the level of talent on this team and the momentum they have created so far, it will be tough for a team to beat them in a series. Don't be surprised if Tampa Bay keeps up this type of dominance all season long.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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