Commissioner Rob Manfred said more net was not likely this season

SEATTLE – Rob Manfred, commissioner of the Major League Baseball, said he was not expecting major league teams to make changes to the safety net in their baseball park this season, but he expects discussions to continue on whether the net should be extended.

Manfred's comments Tuesday came less than a week after a young child was hit by a foul ball during a game in Houston and was hospitalized. Manfred said that structural problems in each stadium would make it difficult to implement changes during the season, but the incident at Minute Maid Park would result in low season conversations.

[[[[Read more: A fake ball, a hurt little girl and another cycle of anxiety]

Last Wednesday, in this match, Cubs player Albert Almora Jr. hit a line in the direction of the ground level. The third baseline hit a girl. Manfred stated that the Astros were mainly in communication with the girl's family and that the team then informed the Commissioner.

"Look, I think it's important that we continue to focus on the safety of fans," said Manfred. "If it means that the net has to go beyond the canoes, so be it. Each stage is different. The reason I hesitated to say "beyond the canoe" is that many clubs are already beyond the canoe. But there is a balance here.

"We have fans who speak very loudly about the fact that they do not want to sit behind nets. I think we have found a balance in favor of the safety of fans up to now, and I think we will continue to do so in the future. "

According to the MLB's recommendations, at the start of the 2018 season, the 30 teams had extended their protective net at least to the ends of the shelters after several fans injured themselves with faulty balls in 2017. The last injury re-ignited the debate on whether protections should go down the black lines.

"It's very difficult, given how far clubs have come in terms of compensation to make changes during the year, because these are really structural problems," Manfred said. "But as security is so important, I'm sure the conversation will begin and continue off-season."

Manfred was in Seattle on a business trip to the West Coast, but also to meet with Mariners owner John Stanton, who took over the chairmanship of the competition committee.