Jesus Sanchez injury should kill MLB’s family-friendly tradition

Bullet point summary by AI

• Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez left Sunday’s game after being struck by a ball thrown from the stands.
• The incident occurred when a teenage Orioles fan tossed a ball into the outfield during a Jackson Holliday at-bat at Camden Yards.
• MLB teams need stricter enforcement of rules against throwing objects onto the field to protect players from avoidable injuries.

Little did I think heading into my Sunday shift I’d be writing not one, but two stories on baseball fans throwing a ball back in play. Consider this a tradition I have never understood. Yes, it stinks to watch a hitter on the opposing team blast a home run off the pitcher you paid to see, or to be forced to hang around quietly considering the investment. Yet, a baseball that leaves the field of play has the potential to maximize in value over the course of a decade. That alone should stop fans from putting their own outfielders in danger by tossing a ball back onto the field of play.

All too often, it doesn’t. On Saturday, Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong homered in the face of ‘overrated’ chants from the Cardinals ‘tarps off’ fan section. Those same fans tried to toss the ball back on the field of play and failed. I mocked them for it, but perhaps that was best. The alternative is what happened to Jesus Sanchez of the Toronto Blue Jays, who was forced to leave Sunday’s game after being struck by a ball tossed into the outfield from a teenage O’s fan.

Jesus Sanchez injury update: Why Blue Jays outfielder was removed

Sanchez was struck by a baseball thrown back into the field of play. In the middle of a Jackson Holliday at-bat, Sanchez had a ball thrown at him which struck him on the wrist. It should be noted that this wasn’t after the Orioles hit a home run — which would’ve been odd considering the game took place at Camden Yards — but the point remains the same. It’s a privilege for all of us to watch the best baseball players on earth play the game they love. Throwing any object, whether it be a ball or a piece of trash, onto the field of play should result in an immediate ejection.

The Orioles followed suit here. The fan was just 13, and the event that transpired was reportedly an accident. None of that ought to matter. If this happened in any other professional sport, said fan would receive more than just a one-game ban. I understand mistakes happen, but the O’s made the right call by dismissing their own fan from the contest to ensure they didn’t cause further damage.

We are not here to demonize a 13-year-old, but rather a tradition unlike any other. Given the price of a major-league hitter (and that price will go up with the next CBA), there’s little reason to play catch in the outfield. The switch-up that occurred to Sanchez could happen to anyone. Next time it could be Aaron Judge or Mike Trout.

Putting an end to an old school MLB tradition

Most MLB teams have rules against throwing objects onto the field. That ought to include a baseball, despite some of the viral clips MLB itself often shares of players and young fans playing catch.

Sure, it’s a wholesome moment, but I am happy to play the role of fun police. In the middle of CBA talks, players are negotiating their own value. That includes the likes of Sanchez and any other player who could be struck by an object they don’t see coming.

Now, not all of this is on fans. MLB players often ask to play catch with their young admirers. It helps grow the game, as they say. Sanchez reportedly motioned for this young fan to throw him a ball just before he was struck.

In a just world, stadium rules ought to be enforced. It’s a two-way street, which means players need to stop the charade. Young baseball fans will follow their careers even should they ignore them in the stands. That’s just the reality of professional sports.

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