
A scary incident at yesterday’s MLB Game between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins left players and fans visibly shaken.
A young girl was hit by a hard line-drive foul ball and rushed to the hospital. Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier was at bat in the bottom of the fifth inning when he hit a foul ball into the seats near the third-base dugout. A fan sitting next to the child immediately signaled for medical assistance.
As people rushed in to care for the girl, the players were noticeably emotional, with Frazier dropping to one knee and hanging his head. Twins second baseman Brian Dozier and Yankee’s Matt Holliday teared up as they took a moment to pray on the field.
After the fan was carried out, play resumed and the Yankees went on to win 11-3. After receiving first aid at the ballpark, the girl was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center with nonlife-threatening injuries.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi spoke to reporters after the game, saying “They told us it hit a little girl in the mouth. We got a report that she’s OK. Obviously, you could see the concern on everyone in the ballpark — the players, the umpires, the fans. And it’s disturbing when it happens, and it’s hard for a player when it happens.”
This is the third reported incident involving a foul ball at Yankee Stadium this season alone. This comes at a time when there are mixed opinions over the possibility of extended protective netting at the stadium. Some argue that it would interfere with the game experience, while others are pushing for more safety.
Members of both teams took to social media after the game, expressing their concerns for the young girl. Frazier tweeted “2day was tuff watching that little girl. I’ll be thinkin about her everyday n her family. Please keep this beautiful girl in ur prayers 2nite.”
New York’s other MLB team, the Mets, installed additional netting at Citi Field earlier this summer, extending it down the first and third base lines all the way to the middle of the outfield.