The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the midst of another incredible stretch, having nearly set a new franchise record for both the best 80-game start to a season and where they are at the midway point.
While the Dodgers continue handling business against their opponents, there have been some particularly odd occurrences to take place along the way. In each of their first three games this week, a fan made headlines by running onto to the field of play.
It began with Cody Bellinger at Dodger Stadium, occurred the following night at Chase Field, and then again after the Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Justin Turner voiced his frustrations over the distractions and pleaded with MLB to begin handing out harsher punishments to prevent future incidents from occurring due to the possibility they became dangerous, as seen on SportsNet LA:
“Yeah, it’s getting ridiculous. It’s just not safe and it seems like they’re getting younger and younger and it’s going around now that nothing is happening to these young kids. They just kind of get a slap on the wrist. Baseball is going to have to do something, or we’re going to have to do something to make it hurt enough to keep fans in the stands and not running out on the field.”
In the ninth inning of Sunday’s three-game finale with the Rockies at Dodger Stadium, a young woman ran onto the field with a desire to hug Bellinger. A minor, she was almost immediately detained by security and eventually released without being arrested.
Then in Monday’s opening contest at Chase Field, a similar situation took place. A woman charged the field of play with similar intentions, which left Bellinger standing in right field as he awaited security to apprehend another trespasser.
Unlike the first incident, there were harsher repercussions for this particular fan. In addition to being arrested, she received a ban from attending future events at Chase Field.
Bellinger was not offended by either of these harmless fan run-ins, but nonetheless urged for the habit to come to an end. The Dodgers have considered increasing security around him in the wake of these events.
A third consecutive fan-related incident unfolded on Tuesday, just as the Dodgers wrapped up a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks. A young male rushed the field at the conclusion of the game and headed into the direction of Kyle Garlick, Kiké Hernandez and Alex Verdugo in center field.
He, too, was detained by security, and processed for disorderly conduct and trespassing through juvenile detention. The boy’s father, who also ran onto the field, was arrested on the same charges.
