ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The New York Yankees' Spencer Jones hit the ball into the roof at Tropicana Field in the second inning of Game 2 of the AL Division Series on Monday night. It came down in a glove.
That's an out at the Trop, even after it hits the ceiling.
Four catwalks ring the inside of the dome, labeled A through D from highest to lowest. They hold up the roof, along with the lights and speakers, and the hang over the field.
The ground rules split them in two. A fair ball that hits either of the lower rings, C or D, is a home run. A fair ball that hits either of the upper rings A or B is in play. If it drops, it's a live ball. If a fielder catches it, the batter is out.
That's what happened to Jones. It hit the B ring and Victor Mesa Jr. caught it.
Spencer Jones' flyout hits the catwalk pic.twitter.com/a6eDNHob10
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 6, 2026
This time, there was little hubbub, a stark difference from Game 1 of the NL Division Series, when the San Diego Padres' Ty France hit the roof of Milwaukee's American Family Field with one out in the bottom of the ninth, a runner on and the Padres trailing the Brewers 3-2. The ball ricocheted off a beam and was caught by left fielder Jackson Chourio for the second out.
The Padres moderately protested, but the ruling was in line with ground rules in Milwaukee, leaving it a mystery whether France's 105.3 mph fly, hit at a 49-degree launch angle, would have been a home run had it completed its flight unimpeded.
In this ALDS, there was no controversy. At least not for now.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees hit the roof at Tropicana Field - and it's just another out
