Pearl Jam’s lead singer and lifelong Cubs fan Eddie Vedder shared an incredible story about how a former division rival player helped cure his ear infection on Off The Mound with Ryan Dempster. 

Vedder shared his story on an ear infection he suffered after performing a show in Brazil.

“We snuck out in the water before our flight home. I got some water in my ear and got on a 12 hour flight and got the worst ear infection. It was brutal and it did not go away,” Vedder said. 

While still battling this infection, former Angels outfielder Raul Ibanez called Vedder to watch batting practice in Anaheim. After watching Ibanez take batting practice, a former Cubs killer had his turn up in the cage. 

“So Albert Pujols started hitting. We walked out of the hall and I asked Raul, ‘That was loud. Is that the loudest crack of the bat? Is that just me or is that the loudest thing I’ve ever heard?’ He said ‘No. He’s known in the league for having the loudest bat.’ He said that and I said ‘Wait, say that again?’ It was in that moment that I could hear in both ears,” Vedder said. “Pujols’ crack of the bat snapped my ear and ear drum back into place somehow. It was a miracle. I was saved by Albert Pujols.”