Cubs outfielder Albert Almora, still shaken two days after his line drive foul ball struck a 4-year-old girl in the stands at Minute Maid Park in Houston, renewed on Friday his call for baseball stadiums to provide more protection for fans.
"I hope this never happens again," Almora told reporters (per ESPN) before Friday's Cubs-Cardinals game. "So whatever the league has to do to make that happen. ... I don't think any kid that goes to a baseball game with their parents or loved one should worry about making (it) out unhealthy. I don't think that should ever cross their mind. So whatever the league needs to do to do that, that should be in place."
On Thursday, MLB released a statement that indicated it will give fan safety further scrutiny but offered no new insight: "The events at last night's game were extremely upsetting. We send our best wishes to the child and family involved. Clubs have significantly expanded netting and their inventory of protected seats in recent years. With last night's event in mind, we will continue our efforts on this important issue."
Although there has been no update on the child's condition, a fan sitting nearby said "She's fine," when he recounted the incident for the Houston Chronicle.
Houston resident David LeVasseur did not see the ball strike the girl but knew it hit "someone hard."
"(Almora) rips a line drive down the third-base line and it comes in and it looks like it hits someone hard," LeVasseur told the Chronicle. "It bounces, comes down and hits the guy to my left off (a) ricochet and the next thing you know it's at my feet. I pick it up, and all we heard was screaming."
LeVasseur said the ball had no traces of blood.
"We saw this dad pick up a child and run up the stairs," LeVasseur said. "He took off running.
"I (came) upstairs and see the first-aid guys up there and the dad is holding the girl. She (was) alert, she's conscious, she's fine. I was just going to give somebody in the family the ball. They kind of, naturally, shook it off. I asked the first-aid guy if she was OK and he said he didn't know."
"I want to put a net around the whole stadium."
— Chicago Sports (@ChicagoSports) May 30, 2019
Albert Almora Jr. was visibly shaken after hitting a line drive that struck a young fan in the stands at Minute Maid Park during last night's Cubs-Astros game.
Story and video by @MDGonzales: https://t.co/gkUCiLgPpA pic.twitter.com/JyV6dKN2Or
Almora said he wants to meet the girl.
"Hopefully all is well and she's going to make a full recovery," Almora told reporters. "When (the family is) ready, I'll do whatever I can do to put a smile on that little girl's face."