Houston Astros Will Extend Protective Netting At Minute Maid Park

HOUSTON, TX — The Houston Astros will upgrade and extend the protective netting inside Minute Maid Park, the team announced on Thursday. The Astros' announcement comes over two months after a 2-year-old girl suffered suffered serious injuries from being hit by a foul ball at the park and just a day after two lawmakers demanded information from the league related to foul ball injuries.

In a press release, the Astros said the current netting will be replaced with knot-less netting. The team said the new netting will provide an improved viewing experience for fans.

The new netting will also be extended further down the left and right-field lines so that more seats will be protected.

"Fan experience is always a top priority for the Astros," the team said in a statement.

"The Astros have followed Major League Baseball’s guidelines regarding netting while providing fans with a choice as to whether they sit in areas with or without protective netting. These changes will improve the fan’s experience and increase the number of seats behind protective netting. Fans will continue to have the option to sit in areas without netting."

On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Illinois Democrats, wrote a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred urging the league to collect and report data about fan injuries at MLB stadiums. Duckworth and Durbin argued that releasing the data would help the public better understand injuries and voluntary safety measures teams are implementing.

"This will provide a more honest public dialogue and help protect baseball’s biggest (and littlest) fans," Durbin and Duckworth said in a written statement.

"We appreciate the efforts individual teams have taken so far for the safety of fans. Transparency benefits everyone in making informed decisions and preserves the integrity of the game."

Durbin also hailed the Astros' decision to extend their protective netting.

The 2-year-old hit by the foul ball at Minute Maid Park was struck in the head in late May by a line drive off the bat of Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. Almora, who followed the path of the ball, was immediately overcome with grief and was consoled by teammates and umpires.

A day after the incident, an article in USA Today spotlighted the need for expanding safety netting at baseball parks to help keep fans safe. According to USA Today, stadium netting is up to each individual team even though the MLBPA proposed in agreements that it extend from foul pole to foul pole.

Just last weekend, a woman had to be hospitalized after she was struck by a foul ball in Arlington during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers.