Two New York Yankees fans have been banned from attending Game 5 after being ejected from Game 4 for interfering with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts. Despite initial claims by season-ticket holder Austin Capobianco, the Yankees confirmed that he and his friend John Peter would not return for tonight’s game.
“The Yankees and Major League Baseball enforce a zero-tolerance policy for the behavior displayed last night,” the team stated. “These fans will not be allowed in the ballpark for tonight’s game.”
The Yankees described the fans’ actions as “egregious and unacceptable.”
After the game, Capobianco acknowledged his wrongdoing but expressed a lack of remorse. “I patrol that wall, and they know that,” he told ESPN.
The incident occurred in the bottom of the first inning when a foul ball from Yankees leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres was hit. Capobianco mentioned that he and Peter had often discussed how to handle such situations. “We’re not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up,” he said. “We talk about it. We’re willing to do this.”
MLB rules allow fans to attempt to catch foul balls in their seating area, but umpires can call a batter out if a fan intentionally interferes with a fielder’s catch. Betts managed to catch the ball, but it was knocked out of his glove, resulting in Torres being called out.
“The safety and security of players, fans, and stadium staff is the foundation of every event at Yankee Stadium and must never be compromised,” the Yankees emphasized. “As tonight marks our final home game of the year, we want every ounce of our fans’ passion on display. Yankee Stadium is known for its energy and intensity, but supporting your team can never cross the line into putting players at physical risk.”
