Two fans had a quick exit during Game 4 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. One of them snatched the glove of Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts, forcing it open and removing the baseball on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Dodgers players and staff expressed to The New York Post that the Yankees need to take strong action against the two fans who forcefully grabbed Mookie Betts’ glove and arm during Game 4. Some Dodgers even suggested that the pair should be banned from entering any ballpark in the future.
Max Muncy‘s scalding take on the fan incident with Mookie Betts
“It should be an instant lifetime ban. They should never be allowed in any ballpark ever again. If it’s an accidental thing where you’re trying to catch the ball and you bump a [player], that’s one thing. But in that scenario, you have two guys trying to grab Mookie’s glove and then his hand — that’s a lifetime ban,” said Dodgers infielder Max Muncy.
The incident took place as the Yankees were down 2-0 and desperately trying to avoid a sweep in the Series. Gleyber Torres led off with a pop fly that Mookie Betts managed to touch while reaching over the padded wall.
“That’s borderline assault. You could file [charges] for that,” Muncy continued.
The fan, identified as Austin Capobianco, grabbed Betts’s glove with both hands, while his friend John Peter seized Mookie Betts’s arm, leading to a brief scuffle. Capobianco then forced the glove open, causing the ball to drop onto the field. The umpires ruled it fan interference, resulting in Torres being called out.
The Yankees ejected the two fans, and also revoked their Game 5 tickets, reallocating them to a pediatric cancer patient, his younger brothers, and their mother. A Yankees spokesperson mentioned that further actions are under consideration.
Sullying the World Series between the Dodgers and the Yankees
Capobianco admitted to ESPN that he was aware he was making a poor decision but mentioned that he and Peter had discussed the possibility of such an occurrence.
“We always joke about the ball in our area. We’re not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We’re willing to do this,” said the season-ticket holder Capobianco.
The Yankees secured an 11-4 victory and now face elimination again tonight in Game 5 of the Series.
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The interference recalled infamous moments involving fans like Steve Bartman and Jeffrey Maier, but former MLB umpire Dale Scott described the incident as “one of the most aggressive” he had ever witnessed.
Betts stated he had “never seen anything like that,” although he experienced an interference incident—without the altercation—in the 2018 American League Championship Series while playing for the Boston Red Sox.
Some other members of the Dodgers questioned what might have occurred if Betts had sustained an injury during the incident, which wasn’t entirely improbable given that he was airborne with his arms outstretched. If he had been hurt, these two fans could have cast a shadow over the entire World Series.
“It was absolutely ridiculous — banned for life, whatever it is, there has to be some disciplinary action. You can’t grab a player’s arm and hold on. There’s no room for that,” Los Angeles infielder Gavin Lux added.
Regarding the Capobiancos, they informed ESPN that they were told they could come back for Game 5, although the Yankees have not commented on this matter.