Dodger Stadium to extend protective netting

The Dodgers are one of the first teams in baseball to announce they will comply with Major League Baseball’s new recommendation for extended netting beyond home plate.

The screening at Dodger Stadium will soon stretch beyond its current area directly behind the plate to the closest edge of each dugout.

The idea is to provide additional safety to fans in the seats closest to the action, where foul balls and bats can quickly come flying.

At this point, the additional screening is a recommendation. According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the players had proposed additional netting during the last two collective bargaining sessions, but it was rejected by some owners concerned with upsetting their higher-end patrons.

The Dodgers and Phillies on Wednesday were the first teams to announce they will comply with Major League Baseball’s new recommendation for extended netting.

Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. said in a statement: “Major League Baseball prides itself on providing fans in our ballparks with unparalleled proximity and access to our players and the game taking place on the field. At the same time, it is important that fans have the option to sit behind protective netting or in other areas of the ballpark where foul balls and bats are less likely to enter. This recommendation attempts to balance the need for an adequate number of seating options with our desire to preserve the interactive pre-game and in-game fan experience that often centers around the dugouts, where fans can catch foul balls, see their favorite players up close and, if they are lucky, catch a tossed ball or other souvenir.”