'Extremely upsetting' that girl was struck by foul ball at Astros game, MLB says
The incident that led to an errant foul ball striking a little girl at a Houston Astros game is "extremely upsetting," Major League Baseball said Thursday.
The girl, who has not been identified, was hit by a ball off the bat of Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. during Chicago's game with the Astros.
“The events at last night’s game were extremely upsetting," MLB said in a statement.
The young girl who was apparently struck was taken up to the concourse by an adult male. She was seen crying, but conscious and alert.
Her condition not known on Thursday.
"We send our best wishes to the child and family involved," the MLB statement said.
In December 2015, the league issued recommendations that, among other things, all baseball teams implement netting that "shields from line-drives foul balls all field-level seats that are located between the near ends of both dugouts ... and within 70 feet of home plate."
Minute Maid Park's netting, which was extended in 2017, reaches from the end of one dugout to the other; however, the child was sitting farther down the left-field line.
Multiple high-profile foul balls hitting fans at Yankee Stadium in 2017, including one that injured a young fan coming off the bat of outfielder Aaron Judge, pushed MLB to request ballparks extend the netting.
Every team extended their netting at least to the end of the dugouts prior to the 2018 season.
"Clubs have significantly expanded netting and their inventory of protected seats in recent years. With last night’s event in mind, we will continue our efforts on this important issue,” the league said in its statement.
At Wednesday's game, Almora Jr. was visibly distraught after he hit the foul ball in the fourth inning, falling to his knees at home plate in anguish. He was comforted by teammate Jason Heyward and manager Joe Maddon.
Following the inning, Almora spoke to a security guard in the area of the foul ball and again appeared overcome by emotion. He covered his face with his hat and appeared to be wiping away tears after walking back to the dugout.
David LeVasseur, who said he was sitting next to the child who was struck and picked up the foul ball, told the Houston Chronicle he walked up to the concourse and tried to give the family the ball.
"I [came] upstairs and see the first-aid guys up there and the dad is holding the girl," LeVasseur told the Chronicle. "She [was] alert, she's conscious, she's fine."
Almora was still visibly shaken up talking to the media in the locker room following the game.
"Yeah, I don't know. All my teammates, Joe, everybody came out and tried to talk to me and obviously I didn't want that to happen, I didn't intend for that to happen," Almora said. "Credit to [opposing pitcher Wade] Miley as well. He calmed me down. The rest was kind of a blur.
"I finally came to my senses the next half inning, after I went to the stands. ... When that half inning was over, I just couldn't keep it in anymore."
ABC News' Marilyn Heck and Wil Cruz contributed to this report.
