Nurse!

Rachel Balkovec -- a Yankees' minor league manager -- showed off her gnarly eye injury she got after being hit in the face with a batted ball at Spring Training.

Balkovec -- who was signed as the Tampa Tarpons' manager in January -- was working out with the team on Tuesday when she was struck in the face.

The injury forced the 34-year-old to miss the team's home opener on Thursday.

Balkovec did go on IG to show off the swollen and bruised left eye she was left with after the freak accident.

"Thanks for all of the messages," Balkovec said, "Just feeling extremely lucky, and also like I’ll never throw side flips again for the rest of eternity 👍🏼"

"This is why you have to life your life in a way that you’re okay leaving it at any moment. Not a minute to waste being, thinking or playing small."

Despite how painful the injury looks, Rachel had a sense of humor about it ... saying, "Well I *DID* have several modeling contracts lined up, but this put a wrench in those plans ;)"

She even tagged several model agencies and Vogue.

Balkovec has been with the Yanks organization for several years ... first as a minor league hitting coach in 2019, before making history and becoming the first female minor league manager -- the position she currently holds.

There was a horrendous accident at a Florida amusement park that left a child dead, and sadly it's yet another case of the fact ... these rides are not risk-free.

A 14-year-old boy was riding the "Orlando Free-Fall" at ICON Park Thursday when he fell to the ground and died.

The apex of the ride stands at 430 feet ... the park boasts the world's tallest freestanding drop tower.

An eyewitness told Fox News 35 ... "At first we thought it was a piece of the ride or whatever until we got a little closer and it was a person laying on the ground. Everyone was just panicking and screaming."

The ride is a new edition ... it opened in December. The way it works ... once the chairs reach the top, they hurl toward earth at 75 mph.

Police are investigating.

Scary moment in the NHL -- Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden left Thursday night's game on a stretcher ... after colliding into the sideboards following a hit from the Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg.

The incident took place in the first period ... as Forsberg and Howden were both trying to secure the puck, but things went wrong.

In a video of the collision, Forsberg loses balance as he's trying to make a play ... and his momentum carries him into Howden, who then goes headfirst into the wall.

Forsberg's teammates had a front-row seat to see it all unfold ... and their faces told the story of just how scary the wreck was.

Officials did not penalize Filip over the play ... as the whole thing appeared to be unintentional.

Forsberg immediately sprang to his feet to check on Howden ... as players and fans in the arena expressed the same concern.

Emergency personnel managed to get to Howden quickly ... putting the 23-year-old on a stretcher. He was taken to the hospital for further medical treatment.

The good news -- Howden appeared to be responsive following the hit ... raising one of his arms as he left the ice.

He is reportedly in stable condition.

Teresa Giudice is in the hospital after undergoing an emergency medical procedure ... TMZ has learned.

Teresa's lawyer, James Leonard, tells us, she was admitted Wednesday night and had a "non-cosmetic" operation Thursday morning. Leonard tells us, "she is recuperating and is looking forward to speedy recovery. She thanks everyone for their prayers and well wishes.”

Teresa appears to be recovering well, her daughter Gia posted a pic of her mom in the hospital with the caption, "Such a trooper I love you. Pray for a speedy recovery I love you" and tagged her mother.

Page Six first reported the hospitalization.

As we reported, the 'RHONJ" star got engaged to her fiancé Luis Ruelas back in October in Greece. He pulled out all the stops when he popped the big question ... with sparklers, candles, roses, a violinist and fireworks.

Of course, Teresa was married to her now ex-husband Joe Giudice for 20 years, but the two finalized their divorce in 2020.

No word yet on a wedding date for Teresa and Luis, but for now we assume the focus is making sure she gets the proper care she needs to recover.

Former "Love & Hip Hop" star, Apple Watts, is fighting for her life after she was involved in a serious car accident -- leaving her vehicle in flames and her in a hospital.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Watts was headed Northbound on I-15 Wednesday in Baker, CA ... when her black Mercedes and a Ford F250 pickup truck collided. We're told Watts' car flipped multiple times, and burst into flames when it came to a stop.

Cops say one of the passengers inside the F250 was able to pull Watts out of her burning vehicle ... and she was life-flighted to a Nevada hospital, where she's being treated for "major injuries."

At this time, it's unknown what caused the accident ... or if drugs or alcohol played a role in the vehicles colliding.

Big E is lucky to be alive ... the WWE superstar says he learned he could've died after he was dropped on his head during a recent wrestling match, suffering a broken neck.

E, whose real name is Ettore Ewen, made the stunning revelation on Twitter, saying, "Had my first doctor’s appointment and learning (because of the C1 fracture) I narrowly escaped a stroke, paralysis or death is very sobering."

"Life feels even more precious and valuable now."

The former WWE champ sustained the horrific injury after his opponent, Ridge Holland, botched a belly-to-belly suplex attempt on the near 300-pounder.

The scene was tough to watch ... E landed on his head and had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.

Big E, a fan favorite, gave fans an update on his condition while still at the hospital ... telling the WWE universe he could move all his fingers and his strength felt fine.

More recently, E posted another video taking a walk outside in a neck brace ... showing the world he was in "good spirits" despite the fact he's sidelined with the serious injury.

E has received support throughout this time from his contemporaries ... with wrestlers like WWE Intercontinental Champ Ricochet sending words of encouragement to the big fella on social media.

"Love you, buddy. I have no doubts you’ll be stronger at the end of this," Ricochet said.

"Thank you for all the talks and advise, life really is precious."

Hillary Clinton is the latest bigwig politician to come down with coronavirus -- but like many before her, she says she's gonna be just fine ... all thanks to being vaccinated.

The former Sec. of State and two-time presidential candidate made the announcement Tuesday, saying she'd contracted COVID-19. HC writes, "Well, I've tested positive for COVID. I've got some mild cold symptoms but am feeling fine. I'm more grateful than ever for the protection vaccines can provide against serious illness."

She adds, "Please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already!"

Of course, since Hillary's married to the former President himself ... everyone was wondering how he might be holding up -- and she answered their curiosity, saying Bubba's currently in the clear.

Hillary explains, "Bill tested negative and is feeling fine. He's quarantining until our household is fully in the clear. Movie recommendations appreciated!"

She's just the latest politico to be hit with COVID -- just last week, Barack Obama declared he, too, had finally caught it ... and over the past several months, different U.S. senators and congress members, including AOC, have announced the same.

The good news ... they've all recovered just fine, and have attributed their resilience to having gotten the jab. So, to be frank, it's not all that concerning when we hear news like this anymore ... albeit, still startling considering their stature in the country.

It's certainly not as scary as early on in the pandemic, when then-President Donald Trump caught the damn thing ... but vaccines weren't available yet, and he seemed to be in bad shape.

Starbucks usually gives its customers a caffeine jolt, but one guy says he perked up for entirely different reasons ... claiming the coffee giant poisoned him with a cleaning solution.

A man named Matthew Mitchell is suing the green mermaid company for what he claims was a reckless display from management when he allegedly downed a black coffee ... which turned out to be blue, and NOT any type of java in the slightest.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Mitchell claims he ordered a simple coffee beverage from a Connecticut location last August ... which was promptly served, and which he threw down the hatch without even thinking twice.

Almost immediately, however, Mitchell says when he drank what turned out to be a witch's brew, he immediately felt a burning in his throat and chest. He looked down in his cup and saw a blue liquid ... turns out it was a chemical substance -- causing his stomach to turn upside down within seconds. Mitchell alleges the staff told him a new employee had screwed the pooch ... not realizing they were brewing coffee in a machine that had just gotten a Urnex treatment.

If you're unfamiliar ... Urnex has a product called Urn and Brewer Cleaner, which Starbucks uses to purify its brewing machines. Problem is, according to Mitchell, Starbs has a crappy system to alert employees when the cleaning is going on -- an upside-down cup and nothing more, he says -- leading novice workers to serve customers like him tainted cups of Joe.

Mitchell says this system is BS -- insisting a more thorough process should've been in play to prevent the nightmare -- and hits the point home, claiming Starbucks was cutting corners here ... which caused great pain and suffering on his part. As a matter of fact, Mitchell claims at least 2 other alleged poison victims sued Starbucks for the exact same thing in the past.

While he was treated for the alleged poisoning, Mitchell says he continues to deal with the fallout -- including what he says is heightened anxiety and fear about the long-term effects of the Urnex ... not to mention medical bills, etc.

For all this trouble, Mitchell says Starbucks is completely responsible ... and he's asking a judge to award him a boatload of cash in damages, laid out in explicit terms by his dynamo attorney, Joe Tacopina.

We reached out to Starbucks, who said, "Our baristas take great care in crafting beverages and providing a safe experience for our customers. We take this obligation seriously and are reviewing Mr. Mitchell's claims."

Tony Hawk's superhuman recovery from a broken leg continued on Monday ... when the legendary skater actually rode a board!!!

The 53-year-old posted footage of the incredible feat on his social media page ... showing him skating away from the exact spot on a ramp that he smashed his femur on just two weeks ago.

"This is right where I slammed, right here," Hawk said before jumping on his board. "This is where I discovered my leg was broken exactly two weeks ago. I'm now going to skate away from this area."

In an amazing achievement, Hawk then hopped on his skateboard, pedaled away, and rode it toward the end of the ramp with no help from crutches or his friends and family.

Hawk then vowed in his caption on the video to not only walk across the stage unaided when he presents an award at the Academy Awards next month -- but also to skate again at an event in May.

"I am not defying doctors' orders by doing so," Hawk said, "but I realize I might not be at 100% trick / power capacity by that time."

"But I have a lot of grit...," he continued, "and many 80’s tricks as backup."

As we previously reported, the leg injury Hawk suffered back on March 7 was so bad -- he initially wondered if he'd ever walk again unassisted.

But, Hawk's made incredible progress since having surgery to repair the damage -- walking just days after the operation, and now, skating again.

New video shows the moment a Chinese passenger plane crashed into a mountainside, causing a huge forest fire ... and 132 are feared dead.

The China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 was heading from Kunming to Guangzhou Monday when it lost contact with air traffic control -- and the horrifying footage shows the plane taking a nosedive into a mountainous area. Fire and smoke immediately started billowing from the crash site.

Surveillance data shows the plane plummeted for a total of 2 minutes ... after maintaining a cruising altitude of 29,000 feet. The pilots briefly pulled out of the dive around 10,000 feet, but then it started going down again -- and the last data contact with the plane was at 3,200 feet.

The airline released a statement, saying "China Eastern Airlines has activated the emergency mechanism, dispatched a working group to the scene, and opened a special line for emergency assistance to family members."

Shortly after the crash, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a search and rescue operation, alongside an investigation into the cause of the accident.

UFC fighter Eryk Anders suffered a super GNARLY injury this week ... when he was chopping trees down with a chainsaw, and SAWED INTO HIS OWN FOOT!!

And, it's just as gross as it sounds.

TMZ Sports talked to 34-year-old Anders just days after he was forced to seek emergency treatment at a local hospital for the chainsaw injury.

"I was cutting down trees, and of course, I was on the last one, and I'm not a professional or nothing. It was a pretty big tree," Anders says, adding, "and I was cutting it and the tree leaned into the blade, so it kinda got stuck. With my other hand I reached up to push the tree, and I thought the chainsaw would keep cutting."

But, that's unfortunately not what happened.

"I guess I didn't have any pressure on the chainsaw to keep it moving in that direction and it kind of skipped off the tree and bounced off my foot."

Ouch.

How much did it hurt? We asked Eryk.

"I didn't even know I did it. Obviously, I felt the weight of the chainsaw land on my foot. I took a second. And, then the tree fell. So, I had to dodge the tree, so it was a big clusterf**k, all in the snap of a finger."

It goes without saying Anders is one tough dude. Not only is he a UFC fighter ... but he used to be a star on the University of Alabama football team, where he won a national championship under Nick Saban.

Thankfully, Anders was patched up by a doctor at the hospital (he needed 20 stitches) and is already back in the gym (maniac).

But, that's likely the end of Anders's logging career.

Gabriel Iglesias is helping to make the life of one fan who recently suffered a serious injury much easier ... by reaching into his wallet to help buy a much needed device.

Nick Weaver tells TMZ ... he recently reached out to the comedian on social media, sharing his story, and asking to help contribute to a GoFundMe with an $8,000 goal to buy a prosthetic leg.

On Thursday, much to Nick's surprise, a $5,000 donation come in from Gabriel ... hitting the fundraiser's target.

After donating, Gabriel reposted the link online, joking, "Just paid off his leg. Make sure he doesn’t miss my show." A few months ago, celebrity jeweler Ben Baller also donated $2K to Nick's cause, saying "thank you for being part of the BTB army!"

Nick says back in August 2021, he got into a dispute with his brother over some money owed ... and his brother allegedly ran him over with a car. He lost his leg as a result of the incident after surgeries were unsuccessful in saving it.

Tony Hawk -- who suffered a career-threatening broken femur just last week -- is already up and walking without crutches ... further proving the skateboarding legend is simply built different.

The 53-year-old posted the update on Thursday ... showing a slow and steady walking pace with only a slight hobble.

It's pure insanity -- given how gnarly the break was -- but it shouldn't come as a surprise ... after all, Hawk was putting weight on the busted leg just one day after his skating accident.

Tony seems to be having some fun during his recovery ... playing Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" as he takes his steps.

As we previously reported, Hawk feared the injury could keep him from ever returning to 100% ... but with this kind of progress, it seems like he'll be on the board again in no time.

"I've said many times that I won't stop skating until I am physically unable," Hawk said last week. "A broken leg -- with plenty of hardware -- will probably be the biggest test of that creed. I'll be back ... maybe not at full capacity but I resigned to that notion years ago as I approached 'mid-life.'"

Folks on the set of 'NCIS' are getting sick ... and sources say the mystery illness has more than a dozen people who work on the show puking.

The long-running CBS program is currently filming in Valencia, CA just outside of L.A. ... and one source tells us at least 18 people on set fell ill Thursday morning.

One show exec told us they have been having Zoom meetings to figure out how to message what happened to everyone involved.

A CBS source tells TMZ it appears to be something like food poisoning, which the source describes as a minor illness with "mild symptoms."

So far, we're told the source of the illness is not known.

We're told they are still in production.

Big E might be the most positive person on the planet -- the WWE Superstar was in amazing spirits while walking around and wearing a brace on Thursday ... just days after breaking his neck in a match.

E -- whose real name is Ettore Ewen -- shared how well his recovery is going in a video posted to social media ... saying, "I'm just here to provide a brief life update. I got breath in my lungs. It's a beautiful day. That's what's going on in my life."

The former champ said half-jokingly, although his neck may be broken, his heart is still intact ... or at least he hopes.

Of course, Big E is working his way back after Ridge Holland delivered a belly-to-belly suplex and dropped E incorrectly ... causing him to break his neck.

The spot in the match obviously wasn't planned, and Ridge clearly knew he completely botched the move ... expressing concern for Big E, who appeared to be seriously hurt.

Big E was ultimately taken out of the arena on a stretcher and rushed to the nearest hospital, where he posted a video thanking his fans for the concern and support they expressed for him.

The injury comes at a bad time for one of WWE's most athletic and charismatic superstars ... as the Super Bowl of wrestling -- WrestleMania 38 -- is fast approaching.

But you wouldn't be able to tell by Big E's enthusiasm in the vid ... so his return to the ring could come sooner than later!!

Jack Dorsey is making another big donation ... and this time he's sending money to organizations helping with the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The former Twitter CEO and founder just donated $7 million to benefit Ukrainians impacted by Vladimir Putin's war, and he's spreading the dough around evenly to 7 different initiatives.

The money is flowing through Jack's fund Start Small, LLC ... and it's the same fund he's used before to donate $3 million to Colin Kaepernick's legal defense initiative and $1 billion to COVID-19 relief.

Jack's $1 million donations are going to the following organizations:

- Nova Ukraine ... a humanitarian aid workgroup on the ground in Ukraine since 2014, run by a group of Silicon Valley-based Ukrainians who work in the tech industry

- CARE ... a crisis fund providing food, water, hygiene kits and more to 4 million Ukrainians, with an emphasis on women, families and the elderly

- World Central Kitchen ... a collection of chefs and others serving thousands of fresh meals to Ukrainians

- Sunflower of Peace ... a group distributing first-aid kits, medicine and medical instruments to paramedics and doctors in war-torn areas of Ukraine

- Razom ... crisis relief workers providing life-saving medical supplies and humanitarian aid and helping Ukraine rebuild

- Mery Corps ... a global team of humanitarians providing emergency cash assistance and connecting people on the move with information, like where to access basic services and find safe routes in Ukraine, Romania and Poland

-GlobalGiving ... a crisis relief fund supporting humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where refugees are fleeing