White Sox to extend protective netting this summer in wake of foul-ball injury

Chelsea Howard

White Sox to extend protective netting this summer in wake of foul-ball injury image

The White Sox are taking one step further in expanding fan safety at Guaranteed Rate Field a week after a woman was struck by a foul ball and taken to a nearby hospital.


The team plans to extend its protective netting to each foul pole, a team spokesman said Tuesday (via the Chicago Tribune). Chicago's game notes Tuesday stated that the White Sox will work with Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to complete the project "later this summer," though an exact date has yet to be determined. 

ESPN reports that if the White Sox take this action, then other teams could extend netting in their stadiums before the end of the 2019 season.

“I think it’s great," Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito said before Tuesday night’s game at Wrigley Field. “I see the counter arguments like, ‘Don’t sit there’ or ‘Just pay attention to the game.’ Dude, no matter how much you’re paying attention to the game, if that thing’s coming in 115 miles an hour with tail, no matter if you have a glove this big, it could hit you right in the forehead.

”I hate seeing young kids get hit, having to go to the hospital. It just leaves a sick feeling in all of our stomachs.”

Despite the growing debate, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said earlier this month that it would be hard to enforce changes to protective netting around ballparks during the season. 

Players have been outspoken about making changes to increase safety measures, including Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr., who hit a line drive down the third-base line that went into the field-level stands in a game against the Astros. The ball hit a young girl who was taken to the hospital. 

Almora, clearly shaken at the time of that incident, praised the White Sox on Tuesday for making a change.

"Obviously that's a positive step in this sport,'' he said. "I don't think anybody should go home with bumps or bruises or even worse. So whatever they got to do to take care of that, I'm glad they're taking procedures.''

MLB took a big step in improving fan safety in 2018 when all 30 ballparks extended foul ball netting to the far ends of the dugouts at the least. However, that hasn't completely prevented fans from getting injured. Conversations have continued about whether protective nets should go all the way down the foul lines.

The topic could come up again at the owners meetings, which start Wednesday, after the White Sox's decision, ESPN notes.

Chelsea Howard