As people get over their shock at the bizarre scenes from the World Series, the New York Yankees fans involved have spoken out.
As you might have seen, Game 4 of the World Series took a shocking turn Tuesday night when two Yankees fans went too far.
The incident, involving Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts, unfolded as the Dodgers led the series 3-0 and tensions ran high for the New York team, on the verge of a sweep.
During the bottom of the first inning, with the Yankees trailing 2-0, Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres sent a fly ball toward right field.
Betts, in the fifth year of his 12-year, $365 million contract, moved to make what appeared to be a routine catch — until two fans reached over the boundary, turning the play into an unprecedented display of interference.
One fan, wearing a Mariano Rivera jersey, reportedly grabbed at Betts’ glove to pull the ball loose, while another, in an Aaron Judge jersey, clutched Betts’ wrist, blocking his movement.
The stadium atmosphere quickly shifted as the fans were escorted out, met with a resounding chorus of boos.
The interference led umpires to rule Torres out.
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Dodgers reporter Doug McKain demanded severe consequences for the fan, concerned about the safety risks posed to Betts. “Ban this Yankees fan for life. What if Mookie gets injured here?” McKain tweeted.
The fans were escorted out of Yankee Stadium, exchanging high-fives with other Yankees fans on their way out.
When asked about the incident, one fan reportedly told The Athletic’s Rustin Dodd that the fan was a “hero … it’s a championship game.”
ESPN identified the man who grabbed the ball as Yankees season-ticket holder Austin Capobianco, who had attended the game with a friend. According to ESPN, the pair had discussed beforehand how they might react if a foul ball came near them.
“We always joke about the ball in our area,” they reportedly said at a local bar following the game. “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.”
Capobianco’s brother, Darren, did offer a comment on the moment, claiming that he saw Betts’ glove go over the wall to make the catch.
“I just see the ball kind of — I don’t want to say up for grabs, if that makes sense,” Darren Capobianco said. “And then Mookie was swearing at us. Not good.”
The fans informed ESPN that Yankee Stadium security assured them they would be permitted back for Wednesday’s Game 5.
Despite the controversy, the Yankees rallied, defeating the Dodgers 11-4 to stave off elimination. The Dodgers still hold a 3-1 lead in the series, but no team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit in World Series history.
For his part, Betts downplayed the incident after the game. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “We lost, it’s irrelevant. I’m fine, he’s fine, everything’s cool. We lost the game, that’s what I’m kind of focused on, turn the page. Everything’s fine.”
Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman had a stronger reaction, calling the interference “unacceptable.”
