The Salem Red Sox have upgraded the protective netting at Haley Toyota Field to keep fans safer while enjoying the games.

Netting now reaches the far end of the dugout on both the first- and third-base sides of the diamond. The Sox have also upgraded to Dyneema rope for the netting, with individual strands only 18 mm in diameter. The new netting material is thinner and finer while still maintaining good visibility for fans.

“There is nothing more important to us than fan safety,” said Ryan Shelton, Red Sox President and General Manager. “As our athletes become stronger and balls have greater velocity off the bat, there have been some scary moments in recent years.

“Taking a cue from Major League Baseball and our parent club at Fenway Park, we chose to take the step of extending our netting to protect the reserved seats above both dugouts and down the lines.”