Yadier Molina was on the receiving end of every man’s worst nightmare

THE footage of baseball catcher Yadier Molina being hit in the groin will make you cringe. The end result was far, far worse.

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (right) copped a nasty blow.

THE St. Louis Cardinals say catcher Yadier Molina has undergone emergency surgery and is expected to miss a month after being hit in the groin by a foul tip.

Molina was placed on the 10-day disabled list following the painful injury.

The Cardinals said the eight-time All-Star is projected to miss at least four weeks with what the team called a “pelvic injury with traumatic haematoma.”

Molina left Saturday’s game against the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning after being hit in the groin when Kris Bryant tipped a 102-mph (163km/h) pitch from reliever Jordan Hicks.

Molina immediately fell to the ground in pain and was replaced by Francisco Pena.

You know it hurts if Yadier Molina stays down. He took a foul tip the the not so good area off of a 102 mph fastball from Jordan Hicks. Every man is collectively cringing. pic.twitter.com/QvaF7l8nRD

— Thomas Lott (@tlott33) May 5, 2018

Molina stayed on the ground and took several minutes for him to regain his breath, as teammates rushed to his side he eventually tried to walk it off before the severity of the injury began to set in.

“That was a bad one, and those ones don’t necessarily feel better (the next day),” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said after the game. “It was hard to see.”

The 35-year-old Molina is hitting .272 with six home runs and 17 RBIs this season. He was replaced on the active roster by catcher Carson Kelly, who was called up from Triple-A Memphis.

“One hundred and two (mph), fouled it off, just missed it, and hit him straight. That’s bad,” Cardinals left fielder Marcell Ozuna said.

That Yadier Molina injury was tough to watch for many reasons

— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) May 6, 2018

All of the Cardinals infielders and reliever Jordan Hicks have gathered around catcher Yadier Molina after he got hit flush in the worst spot by a foul ball on a 100 mph pitch. And Molina departs the field, slowly.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 5, 2018

Yadier Molina out a month after being hit in the "groin" at 100 mph.

If that's me I'm dead. And if not dead, I'd ask to be put down.

— Joey Wahler (@JoeyWahler) May 6, 2018

Originally published as Yadier Molina was on the receiving end of every man’s worst nightmare