The protective netting behind home plate at Tropicana Field will expand one section on each side in compliance with a request from Major League Baseball to provide additional fan safety.
Rick Nafe, the Rays’ vice president for operations/facilities, said Wednesday the new netting will either stretch to the end of the section nearest the dugouts or extend past the aisle that ends next to the dugouts.
“We have to check the impact on that aisle itself and access. We haven’t gotten that far,” Nafe said. “This is truly a work in progress.”
According to a release from Major League Baseball, “Clubs are encouraged to implement or maintain netting (or another effective protective screen or barrier of their choosing) that shields from line-drive foul balls all field-level seats that are located between the near ends of both dugouts (i.