close
close

first Drop

Com TW NOw News 2024

Yankees fans ejected after ripping the ball from Mookie Betts’ glove during Game 4 of the World Series
news

Yankees fans ejected after ripping the ball from Mookie Betts’ glove during Game 4 of the World Series



CNN

Two New York Yankees fans were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after ripping the ball from Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts’ glove on Tuesday.

Midway through the bottom of the first inning, Betts ran toward the right field line and the corner wall in an attempt to catch a foul ball from Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.

After Betts appeared to catch the ball, one of the fans in the front row pried open the outfielder’s glove as the ball popped loose, while the other grabbed the Dodgers star’s other hand.

Betts reacted angrily to the incident and Torres was sent off by the referee due to fan intervention.

“A for effort,” said Joe Davis of the Fox commentary team. Former eight-time All-Star pitcher and color commentator John Smoltz added, “Well, he won’t be watching the game much longer.”

Videos on social media afterward showed the two fans being escorted out of Yankee Stadium by security as they exchanged high-fives with fellow New York fans on the way out. One fan told The Athletic reporter Rustin Dodd said the fan was a “hero… it’s a championship game.”

The fan who ripped the ball out of Betts’ glove was reportedly identified by ESPN as a Yankees season ticket holder who attended the game with his friend.

According to ESPN, the pair had previously discussed what they would do if a foul ball came their way.

“We always joke about the ball in our area,” the identified fan said after the game at a local bar, according to ESPN. “We are not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’ll go to ‘D’. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We are willing to do this.”

The fans told ESPN that stadium security said they would be allowed back on the grounds for Wednesday’s Game 5.

CNN has reached out to the Yankees and MLB to confirm that fans have been evicted from Yankee Stadium and for comment on the situation.

The Yankees would defeat the Dodgers 11-4 and avoid elimination with the series 3-1 in LA’s favor. No team ever came back from a 0-3 deficit in the Autumn Classic.

“It doesn’t matter,” Betts said when asked about the incident afterward. “We lost, it’s not relevant. I’m fine, he’s fine, everything’s fine. We lost the game, that’s what I’m kind of focused on: turning the page. Everything is fine.”

Betts’ teammate Tommy Edman called the incident “unacceptable.”

“Yeah, that looked ridiculous from my perspective,” the Dodgers shortstop said. “The man tried to take off his glove and pulled his wrist. … It looked like he got ejected, and I’m glad he did. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

This isn’t the first time this World Series that Torres has had a ball affected by fan interference.

In Game 1, the Venezuelan got a double after he hit a ball toward left field at Dodger Stadium and a fan reached over the wall and caught it.