After two significant security incidents at major league ballparks in the span of four days, the Major League Baseball Players Association said Tuesday it will review the safety and security protocols of all teams and stadiums in light of these events.
“The Players Association takes player safety very seriously,” the MLBPA said Tuesday in a statement. “Following security incidents, including those on field, our director of security is in immediate contact with MLB security and local authorities where appropriate.
“In addition to our security experts, our PA player services staff is in daily contact with players — providing updates and any relevant information.”
On Friday night in Chicago, two women suffered gunshot wounds while at Guaranteed Rate Field, the home park of the White Sox. Police in Chicago believe the bullets that injured the women were fired from inside the ballpark, having “almost completely dispelled” the theory that stray bullets entered the stands from the outside, interim police superintendent Fred Waller said Monday.
On Monday night in Denver before the seventh inning against Atlanta, a fan ran to Ronald Acuna, Jr., in right field and put his arms around the Braves star. Security officials tried to pull the man off the four-time All-Star as another fan ran into the scrum, and Acuna was knocked to the ground.
“While the details of the recent incidents in Chicago and Denver are still under investigation, we will be reviewing the club and stadium protocols currently in place, as we do throughout every season, to mitigate the possibility of similar future incidents,” said the union.
Acuna said postgame through an interpreter of the incident in Denver, “I was a little scared at first, but I think the fans were out there and asking for a picture. But security was able to get there, and so I think everything’s OK. Everyone’s OK.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker added, “You don’t want to see that happen, I know that. You don’t know what they will do when they get out there. It’s a scary situation.”
–Field Level Media