December 09, 2015
Thom Carroll/Philly Voice
The Phillies hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates for a day game, Thursday, May 14, 2015, finishing up their 4 game series with a 4-2 win.
The Phillies were among the first Major League Baseball teams to announce that they will expand safety netting at Citizens Bank Park to meet the league's recommendations.
"We anticipate that such compliance will require us to expand our protective netting behind home plate about 10 feet in width on both sides, reaching to the near side of each dugout," Executive Vice President Michael R. Stiles said Wednesday in a statement. "We also plan to replace all of our existing netting with newer material which is as strong, but thinner and more easily viewed through."
A similar expansion also will be installed at Bright House Field, the Phillies' spring training site in Clearwater, Fla.
Major League Baseball requested teams expand protective netting between the dugouts for any field-level seats within 70 feet of home plate. The guidelines, announced Wednesday at baseball's winter meetings, followed a season in which several fans were injured by foul balls.
The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers also said they will follow the recommendations.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
