MLB Insider Calls For Protection Of Players Following Horrific Foul Ball Injury

Earlier this week, Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Hunter Bigge was struck by a foul ball while standing in the dugout.

Bigge needed to be stretchered off the field, but ended up giving a thumbs up as he was taken away.

This incident has ignited some serious conversations about player safety with the exposed dugouts. Incidents like this are uncommon, but they happen enough for it to be a scary possibility at baseball games.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently called for action from MLB to help eliminate these scary foul ball accidents.

“In the aftermath of Tampa Bay Rays reliever Hunter Bigge getting struck in the face by a foul ball in the dugout, it’s beyond time for MLB to install netting in front of the dugouts,” Nightengale wrote. “If we’re going to protect the fans with netting stretching across the top of the dugouts, why not protect the players?”

At what point is enough going to be enough?

Taking a foul ball to the head could cause serious injury or potentially kill a player, especially considering players in the dugouts aren’t wearing helmets. It’s like getting hit by an Aroldis Chapman fastball, potentially harder, without any sort of protection.

If MLB can extend the netting to protect the fans, there’s no reason they can’t add something to help protect the players. Incidents like this are quite rare, but all it’s going to take is one foul ball to go very wrong, and we might see a player’s career, or life, ended when it could be prevented.

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