NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 04: Aroldis Chapman #54 of the New York Yankees pitches against the New York Mets during game one of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on July 04, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
A 94 MPH fastball from Aroldis Chapman went flying over Gary Sanchez’s head and it was going right for a young fan’s head.
Thank goodness for the protective netting at baseball parks, right? Just ask a young Seattle Mariners fans about that. In the opening showdown between the Yankees and M’s on Tuesday night, it was all New York in Game 1.
Closer Aroldis Chapman, who has been under fire for his struggles, came out for the bottom of the ninth with a handsome lead, ready to throw some gas to secure the 12-1 win. Well, he did, but one toss got away from him and it was headed straight for a fan’s head.
Aroldis Chapman lost control of a pitch in Yankees vs Mariners game
Goodness.
You can see how Chapman lost control of a heater, and it flew over Gary Sanchez. The unsuspecting fan was just sitting in his seat, enjoying the game, and next thing he knew the ball was coming straight for him. He ducked despite the netting being there, but the look on his face afterwards lets you know just how lucky he felt.
Imagine if there had been no netting, like some of the purists have suggested baseball return to like it’s the days of Ty Cobb or something.
In the end, he was safe and sound, but the Yankees went on to record a dominant win over Seattle. This was a much-needed showing for Chapman, as he has looked rough in recent games. For Chapman, he’ll need to keep working on his velocity issues, while also trying to get the ball over the plate. No one wants to see another scary incident like the one shown above again.