You will get/be hit by a ball - is there a difference?

Question

I am struggling with understanding get vs be:

He is so slow, he will get hit by the ball.

VS

He is so slow, he will be hit by the ball.

It is the same? I know that get can replace be or indicate change of state/condition.

Answer 1

In this context, the word get means

to become or cause to become or act as specified: to get a window open, get one's hair cut, get wet

This becoming sense is closely related to the simple future tense of to be in your examples.

. . . he will get hit by the ball.

. . . he will be hit by the ball

This even works in the past tense

. . . he got hit with the ball.

. . . he was hit with the ball.

This usage of get is often followed by reflexive pronouns such as himself, yourself, myself.

I don't want to get myself in trouble

While your two sentences can be viewed as equivalent, some might read a slight suggestion that get hit implies some personal involvement or causation.

He got in a fight.

seems to subtly suggest more culpability than

He was in a fight.