The New York Yankees announced on Wednesday that two fans who interfered with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts during Game 4 have been banned from attending Game 5. The league and the Yankees emphasized their “zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed,” describing the incident as “egregious and unacceptable physical contact.”
According to a source, the fans, who had tickets for the upcoming game, will be refunded. The Yankees revealed that the tickets of the banned fans have been donated to a pediatric cancer patient and their family.
Austin Capobianco, the fan who took the ball from Betts’ glove, initially mentioned that he and his friends had “joked about” similar scenarios, saying, “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.”
However, by Wednesday, Capobianco expressed regret, stating, “I’m a way too passionate fan that probably crossed the line last night.” He praised Betts’ impressive play and denied using racial slurs during or after the incident.
The interference occurred during the first inning of Game 4 when Betts caught a ball at the wall in foul territory, only for the fans to take it from his glove. The umpires ruled it a catch, resulting in an out for the Dodgers. The fans were subsequently escorted from Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees secured a win with a score of 11-4, extending their season. Betts dismissed the incident as “irrelevant” after the game, focusing on the Dodgers’ loss and looking forward to Game 5.
Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo commented that the interference was “one of the more extreme” incidents he has witnessed, attributing it to the New York atmosphere. Manager Aaron Boone condemned the behavior, stating, “There’s no place for that. Should never have hands on anyone. (It’s) just not OK.”
The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole is set to pitch against Jack Flaherty, with Game 5 scheduled to begin at 8:08 p.m. ET.
