Arizona Diamondbacks Pitcher Jason Marquis Stays in Game Despite Broken Leg

by Ben Levine on Mon, Aug 15, 2011 at 8:38PM

We’ve seen pitchers battle through blisters, but what Arizona Diamondbacks starter Jason Marquis pitched through on Sunday was on another level.

Despite being nailed by a line drive off his leg from Mets outfielder Angel Pagan in the third inning, Marquis would continue pitching into the fourth. After plunking Josh Thole a few batters into the inning, Marquis dropped to the ground.

After the game, it was revealed that Marquis had sustained a fractured right fibula, shelving him for four to six weeks. It’s a tough break for the D-backs, who acquired the 32-year-old before the deadline in the hopes that he’d provide stability to their rotation.

“I thought it was just a normal bruise — with swelling and tightness — and I felt like the pain was enough to deal with to stay out there and pitch,” Marquis said after the game. ”Obviously, on that last pitch to Thole, pushing off, I just felt something pop.

“The doctor was saying he believes the bone in my leg broke on the line drive … He said [pushing off] pretty much completed the fibula break, so it is what it is.”

Ironically, Marquis’ manager, Kirk Gibson, is perhaps best known for tolerating an injury during the 1988 World Series. Marquis’ performance may not go down in baseball history quite like Gibson’s has — he allowed a home run a few batters after being hit — but it’s still a testament to the right-hander’s toughness.

To see Marquis’ final pitch of the night, check out the video below.