Cubs to Extend Protective Netting at Wrigley Field for 2020 Season

The Chicago Cubs are following the trend of Major League Baseball to increase the safety of their fans.

With the increased speed of baseballs flying into the stands, it only made sense for one of the oldest parks in baseball to join the new school.

In 2020, Wrigley Field is set to extend the protective netting down the left and right field lines, to where the old bullpens used to be.

The Cubs current netting only extends to the end of each dugout, leaving a lot of real estate down the lines. Fans are at an increased risk of injury of being struck by a foul ball due to the small amount of foul territory at Wrigley.

Their crosstown rival White Sox, were the first team who brought their safety netting all the way down to the foul poles. This will be a major challenge due to the weird dimensions of the Cubs home field. Wrigley has the longest foul poles in the sport and it could obstruct the view of more than just a few fans.

Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. was a first hand witness to how important these protective nets are. A foul ball off Almora's bat struck a young fan at an Astros game and left the outfielder visibly shaken up.

These incidents do not happen often, but they are preventable. Anything to secure the safety of fans will always benefit the game.