In Game 4 of the World Series, a New York Yankees fan wrestled a foul ball from Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts’s grasp to try and gain an edge for his team. The play was ultimately ruled out by interference, as commentators called for the removal of the game disruptors.
Betts tracked a Gleyber Torres fly ball deep into foul territory and extended his glove only to find himself in a surprising tug-of-war with a fan who managed to yank the ball away before Betts could secure it. In a coordinated effort, another Yankees fan in the crowd even restrained Bettss arm while his accomplice poked the ball free, hoping it would simply count as a foul.
The incident quickly caught the attention of the broadcast team, who assumed that the fans would face removal for interference. “A for effort, but he wont be watching the game much longer. Not a chance,” remarked one commentator as officials reviewed the play.
After review, the umpires confirmed fan interference, granting an automatic out for the catch. The incident symbolized the Yankees’ desperation to avoid a sweep as the Dodgers easily handled New York during the first three games.
Baseball fans, including supporters of the Yankees, voiced their disapproval of the interference. Even with their teams dire situation in the World Series, one fan wrote, As a Yankees fan, those two fans need to be arrested and banned for life from the stadium. Apologies to all the Dodger fans and fans in baseball in general. Fans should never touch a player. Ever.
The view was reflected across social media while other World Series viewers took a more sarcastic approach. Another commenter predicted the fans ejection and wrote, “Someone will get to watch the rest of the game from home.” Betts has been a thorn in the side of Yankees fans throughout the World Series, always producing crucial hits when it matters most. In Game 1, he drove in a key RBI to set the tone for the Dodgers, and he kept up the pressure in Game 2 with two more key hits that helped his teams offense.
In Game 3, Betts recorded another hit, raising his postseason total to 16. Among these, four were home runs. The eight-time Gold Glove winner also has consistently showcased his skills as a strong defensive player. Before the playoffs began, Betts’s teammates praised him as one of the game’s top players. After the acquisition of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in the offseason, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said that Betts has been overshadowed.
“Mook’s our guy. He’s one of our leaders. He’s still one of the best players in baseball. I know he gets a little bit overshadowed because we have Shohei Ohtani, but that guy’s still getting paid $400 million too,” said Muncy.
“He is one of the best players in baseball, and he’s been one of the best players in the postseason. I know these last two years haven’t shown that, but, I mean, come on. Look at what he’s done in the past. He can still do it in the postseason. I think he just needed to get a couple hits to get it out of his head.”
Leave a Reply