MLB notes: Fan at Phils game hurt soon after commissioner Rob Manfred talks about safety

A woman was injured by a foul ball at a Philadelphia Phillies game Thursday night, hours after the Major League Baseball commissioner was at the stadium and spoke about increasing fan safety.

Commissioner Rob Manfred talked at Citizens Bank Park before the New York Mets played the Phillies. He said there was a chance that extra safety nets could be put up around the majors as soon as next season.

Several fans at big league games have been hurt by foul balls and flying bats this season. The injuries have prompted players and others to call for expanded netting at ballparks.

“We are examining all of the relevant information,” Manfred said. “Our goal to is to put the commissioner’s office in a position where we can make a complete recommendation to ownership in November and give people an opportunity to be ready to make changes for next year if, in fact, we decide that changes are necessary.”

In the second inning, a fan sitting five rows off the field was hit in the forehead by a foul off the bat of Freddy Galvis of the Phillies.

The woman was sitting just to the right of where the netting ends. Fans around her immediately motioned for medical personnel and Phillies players threw a towel from the dugout to help stop any bleeding.

The woman eventually was helped to the concourse.

“This is a topic that is of serious concern, not only to me but more importantly to all 30 owners,” Manfred said before the accident.

Manfred said MLB is studying how to implement consistent standards.

“I suspect we would adopt industry guidelines,” he said. “But there are going to be some individual decision-making here because of the design of ballparks. The designs are so different.”

Arbitrator rules against Bonds in case

An arbitrator has ruled against Barry Bonds in a collusion case stemming from his final season in the majors.

Major League Baseball was informed this week that arbitrator Frederic Horowitz had ruled in its favor.

Bonds had sought compensation after no teams would take him following his final season with San Francisco.

The career home runs leader with 762, Bonds turned 43 during his last season. He later offered to play for the minimum major league salary but got no offers.

A month ago, after a steroids pursuit that lasted nearly a decade, federal prosecutors dropped what remained of their criminal case against Bonds.

Clearing the bases

The Rays have put OF Desmond Jennings on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised left knee and recalled OF Joey Butler from Triple-A Durham.