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The Dodgers are happy with the punishment for interference by World Series fans


The Dodgers are happy with the punishment for interference by World Series fans

Teoscar Hernandez may have been amused as he watched two fans try to steal the ball from his teammate in real time during Game 4 of the World Series, but upon closer inspection, the Dodgers outfielder realized how serious the situation could be.

“I've never seen anything like this before, but now that I see the pictures and videos and all that stuff, it's a little crazy what's happening,” Hernandez said Wednesday before Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium.

Mookie Betts, running toward the right side of the field, was obstructed by two fans as he reached over the fence to try to catch Gleyber Torres' foul popup in the first inning.

As Betts caught the ball, a fan grabbed Betts' glove and struggled to break it open.

Betts' right wrist was grabbed by another fan, leaving Betts suspended in the air for a moment.

The ball bounced out but Torres was ruled out due to fan interference.

Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers catches a foul ball from Gleyber Torres #25 of the New York Yankees as fans rip the ball out of his glove in the first inning. Jason Scenes/New York Post
Fans were banned from attending World Series Game 5. Jason Scenes/New York Post

The fans, identified as Austin Capobianco and John Peter, were ejected from the ballpark and on Wednesday the Yankees decided both would be banned from Yankee Stadium for the remainder of the World Series.

The Yankees distributed the Game 5 tickets that were in the possession of the two ejected fans (and others in that section) to a pediatric cancer patient and his family, the club announced.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was pleased with the result.

“We didn’t need them here, so (the Yankees) refunded their tickets,” Roberts said. “So this is perfect, right?”


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But Roberts said he wasn't too worried about his players' safety before Wednesday.

“If there's one player that I don't think is worried, it's Mookie, considering he's played a lot of games in this stadium,” Roberts said, referring to the former star of the Red Sox. “It was just an unfortunate circumstance. I’m glad it was handled properly.”

Manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before playing against the New York Yankees in Game Three of the 2024 World Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York on October 28, 2024. Getty Images

Hernandez also downplayed the possibility of another incident.

“Yankee fans, they’re really excited about this team,” Hernandez said. “They are tough on the players but I don’t think there is anything to worry about. I played against the Yankees here for six years and never saw anything go wrong with the opposing team, so I don’t think that’s the case today.”

But Hernandez agreed that discipline was needed.

“The fans know they can’t do what they did (Tuesday) night,” he said. “But they’re really excited, they’re big fans and they care about the team a lot. It happens, but unfortunately (the fans who were kicked out) will be thinking about last night’s game for a long time.”

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) speaks in a press conference after game two against the New York Yankees in the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Alex Verdugo had plenty of experience at Yankee Stadium as a guest of the Red Sox before joining the Yankees.

The veteran outfielder said the fan interference in this case was “extreme” but not a reason to worry about the players' safety.

“I feel like that’s what you expect out here,” Verdugo said. “You expect some unique things. At the end of the day I didn't feel like it was too serious. I think Mookie kind of shook it off too. That’s just the passion of New Yorkers.”

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