A Washington Nationals grounds crew member was nearly run over during the tarp as they were laying it out over the field at the beginning of a rain delay in Saturday's game against the New York Mets.
The game was stopped in the bottom of the first with one out and a runner on first due to the incoming rain. The Nationals grounds crew started brought out the tarp along the third base line and started rolling it out. One member of the crew got themselves caught off balance and was pulled over the top of the tarp roller, causing them to fall in front of it.
As a result, the man was partially run over by the roller when the rest of the crew felt the "bump" and had to stop and back up. That gave him a chance to roll out of the way as the rest of the crew continued to cover the field.
Nationals grounds crew almost murdered one of their own just now. pic.twitter.com/6L7UfN8vPG
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) April 26, 2025
We have seen many grounds crew mishaps over the years, usually involving one of them being swallowed by the "tarp monster". However, this is the first time we have seen a hiccup with the roller mechanism. Given the slippery conditions, it is an occupational hazard that is part of the job. We hope he is OK.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
