Fan banned by MLB after heckling
Dbacks' Marte to tears with barb about late mother, AP source says
[June 26, 2025]
By RONALD BLUM
A fan who heckled Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte
during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Tuesday
night has been banned indefinitely from all major league stadiums, a
person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated
Press.
Marte was seen in tears on the field after the spectator yelled a
derogatory comment about Marte's late mother during a seventh-inning
at-bat in Arizona's 4-1 win over Chicago.
According to a White Sox spokesperson, the security staff at the
ballpark relayed that the 22-year-old fan was “very apologetic and
remorseful after the fact, and admitted to being very inappropriate
and stupid with his comments.” Another person confirmed to the AP
that Major League Baseball had banned the fan from all big league
stadiums. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the
punishment wasn't announced by the league.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo and bench coach Jeff Banister asked
for the fan to be removed from the game. Before Wednesday's series
finale, Lovullo said he “had little bit of an interaction with the
fan” as he was yelling at Marte.
“He wasn't getting it and was very pompous, and it didn't sit right
with me,” Lovullo said. “It was just a gross comment you wouldn't
say about anybody, let alone someone who lost their mom.
“We need better baseball fans. Baseball deserves better.”
Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car accident in the
Dominican Republic in 2017. Marte, who hit a solo home run in the
first inning Tuesday night, was seen visibly upset during a pitching
change in the bottom of the seventh as Lovullo put his arm around
his player and consoled him.
[to top of second column] |
Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte rounds the bases after hitting a
solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the
Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam
Y. Huh)
“I just reacted as a dad would when I went out to
change pitchers,” Lovullo said, according to the Arizona Republic.
“I could see he was sobbing. It hurt.”
"(I told him): ‘I love you and I’m with you, and we’re all together
and you’re not alone. No matter what happens, no matter what was
said or what you heard, that guy is an idiot. It shouldn’t have an
impact on you.’”
Marte declined to comment on the incident through a team official.
Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo said the fan “should be
banned, for sure” and called for MLB to intervene.
“That can’t happen,” Perdomo said. “We can’t continue to do that ...
here in MLB.”
___
AP freelancer Matt Carlson contributed from Chicago.
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