‘Just prayers right now.’ Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr. shaken after foul ball hits girl

There are renewed calls for Major League Baseball to require even more protective screens at stadiums following an incident on Wednesday night in the Cubs-Astros game at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

In the fourth inning, Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. lined a ball down the third-base line and it hit a young girl, who was seated just beyond the protective netting.

“The young fan that was struck by the foul ball during tonight’s game was taken to the hospital,” the Astros said in a statement. “We are not able to disclose any further details at this time. The Astros send our thoughts and prayers to the entire family.”

Sports Talk 790 in Houston tweeted that the child was awake, responsive and taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. Best of all, the girl is expected to be fine, the station said.

Almora was visibly shaken after the incident, both at the plate and when he took the field in the bottom half of the fourth:

After the game, Almora told reporters: “I had to try to keep my composure during that at-bat, but when that half-inning was over, I just couldn’t hold it anymore.”

The scene was reminiscent of when Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s foul ball struck a young child during Game 4 of the 2015 AL Division Series. That boy, who was seated down the first base line, was fine after being treated at Minute Maid Park.

Almora also would like more protective netting at stadiums.

“As soon as I hit it, the first person I locked eyes on was her,” Almora said. “With God willing, I’ll be able to have a relationship with this little girl for the rest of my life. But just prayers right now, and that’s all I really can control. I’m speechless. I’m at loss of words. Being a father of two boys, I want to put a net all around the stadium.”

This story was originally published May 30, 2019 at 8:26 AM.