In the wake of recent shootings at Major League Baseball (MLB) ballparks and incidents of spectators running onto the field and approaching players during games, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) has called for measures to ensure the safety of players.
Atlanta Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. had a scare in the seventh inning of a game against the visiting Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, USA, when a group of fans burst onto the field.
A fan approached him with his arms outstretched, and security rushed to break up the contact. Another fan then approached him, and a tangle ensued, with Aquino falling to the ground in the outfield.
The two men were arrested by Denver police on charges of trespassing and interfering with a game.
MLB officials were stunned by the sudden approach of a spectator who may have been armed with a weapon to a defenseless player.
While there are armed police officers in MLB team dugouts and security guards throughout the stands, Acuña Jr.'s incident is a stark reminder of how poorly MLB protects its players.
"I was a little scared at first," he said, "I thought the fan was trying to get a picture with me."
On May 25, two people were injured in a shooting during a game between the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois.
Chicago police are investigating, and questions are growing about how a gun was brought into the stadium after 30 big league stadiums began requiring metal detector security checks for fans entering the stadium for the 2015 regular season opener, ESPN reported.
"We take the safety of our players seriously and will be reviewing the security policies of each team and stadium to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future," the MLBPA said. 파워볼사이트