MLB announcers narrate fan injuring himself jumping onto field

If MLB fans take one thing away from Friday and Saturday’s games, let it be this. Stay off of the field.

A fan running onto the field during the ninth inning of Friday’s game between the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants was mocked by both team’s announcers — and rightly so. That wasn’t enough of a deterrent as it happened again in the ninth inning of Saturday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. This time, it resulted in an injury.

The Fox broadcast didn’t show what happened. But play-by-play man Kevin Kugler and analyst AJ Pierzynski gave a good description.

“During the mid-inning changeover, a fan came out of the field, gave everybody a bit of a run, played keep-away,” Kugler said. “And there looks like a second fan on the field, on the track, in left center field, where imitation was perhaps not the sincerest form of flattery. Because he didn’t get very far.”

“I think he’s hurt. He looks hurt. I think they’re going to have to bring the cart out to get him off the field,” Pierzynski added with a slight chuckle in his voice.

“Well that’s a pretty significant wall out there in center field,” Kugler added. “It’s one thing when you see a big leaguer climb up the wall to try to make a catch. It’s another thing as an Average Joe to fall out of the stands. You land on a very hard track. Now they’ve got him up. And he is limping very gingerly with the help of many security guards, to get him off the field.”

Fox’s Kevin Kugler and A. J. Pierzynski described a very bizarre scene, featuring two fans running onto the field… and one of them having to leave on a cart due to injury.

The Cubs-White Sox bottom of the ninth start was delayed for a few minutes. ⚾️🎙️🤦 https://t.co/BOKfUnl44N

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 11, 2024

Pierzynski shared a story about a fan jumping onto the field in Kansas City and breaking his leg. Kugler followed that with a quick read advertising an upcoming game.

The attention of both announcers then went back to the fans on the field.

“You plan all game to do something stupid,” Kugler said. “And then you really do something stupid.”

“Well, it’s one way to stem the Cubs’ momentum,” added Pierzynski. “Make Héctor Neris stand out on the mound and think about it a little bit before he tries to close out this game.”

“I’m not sure a broken leg is worth stemming the momentum,” Kugler replied.

“Just don’t go on the field,” Pierzynski said.

“And again, you’re jumping from the stands over the wall in center field. It’s further than you think,” Kugler said.

“And there’s a little gap,” added Pierzynski. “Especially here at Guaranteed Rate Field, where those people are. There’s a — probably a two-to-three-foot gap between where they’re sitting and the actual wall. So, you’ve got to jump over that also — and then land on the field. Please don’t do it.”

Finally, as the game was getting ready to resume, Kugler explained why it was such a bad idea.

“Many of you are fueled by many things. Most of them are not athleticism to make that jump.”

[Photo Credit: Fox]