Ashley Landis/AP
Two New York Yankees fans were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after ripping the ball from Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts’ glove.
CNN
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The two New York Yankees fans who were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after ripping the ball from Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts’ glove will be banned from Yankee Stadium for Wednesday’s Game 5.
The seats left vacated by the banned fans were given to a New Jersey pediatric cancer patient and his family, the Yankees told CNN.
Calvin, a 15-year-old diagnosed with DSRCT Sarcoma in June 2023, was set to attend a “Kids Only” Press Conference with select Yankees players in September. But Calvin fell ill on his way to the ballpark and wound up in the hospital where he would undergo a surgery, according to the Yankees.
The Yankees contacted the family Wednesday and Calvin, his mother and his two younger brothers were gifted tickets to their first ever playoff game at Yankee Stadium.
The incident that sparked the series of events occurred in the first inning of Game 4 on Tuesday. Betts ran towards the right field line and the corner wall in an attempt to catch a foul ball from Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres. After Betts appeared to catch the ball, one of the fans in the front row pried open the outfielder’s glove as the ball popped loose while the other grabbed the Dodgers star’s other hand.
According to ESPN, the fans had been under the impression that they would be allowed to attend Wednesday’s Game 5. However, an MLB source told CNN that the league has spoken with the Yankees to let the club know those two fans will be banned from Wednesday’s game. The Yankees, the MLB source said, are in agreement.
“Last night two fans were ejected from Yankee Stadium for egregious and unacceptable physical contact with Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts. The safety and security of players, fans and Stadium staff is the foundational element of every event held at Yankee Stadium, and it cannot be compromised,” a statement from the Yankees said.
“Tonight marks the final home game of year, and we want every ounce of our fans’ passion on display. Yankee Stadium is known for its energy and intensity, however the exuberance of supporting one’s team can never cross the line into intentionally putting players at physical risk.
“The Yankees and Major League Baseball maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed last night. These fans will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity.”
Betts reacted angrily to the incident and Torres was ruled out by the umpire via fan interference.
“A for effort,” Joe Davis on the Fox commentary team said. Former eight-time All-Star pitcher and color commentator John Smoltz added: “Well, he won’t be watching the game much longer.”
Videos on social media afterwards showed the two fans being escorted out of Yankee Stadium by security as they exchanged high-fives with fellow New York fans on their way out. One fan told The Athletic reporter Rustin Dodd that the fan was a “hero … it’s a championship game.”
The fan who ripped the ball out of Betts’ glove was reportedly identified by ESPN as a Yankees season-ticket holder, who was in attendance at the game with his friend.
According to ESPN, the pair had discussed before what they would do if a foul ball came their way.
“We always joke about the ball in our area,” the identified fan said at a local bar after the game, per ESPN. “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.”
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The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, front left, celebrates with teammates in the locker room after Wednesday's win.
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The Dodgers celebrate with the Commissioner's Trophy after winning Game 5.
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Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was named World Series MVP. He hit four home runs in the series.
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A sad Yankees fan reacts after the loss.
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Ohtani celebrates after Wednesday's win.
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The Dodgers' Enrique Hernández hugs family members after the win.
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Dejected Yankees watch from the dugout after the final pitch Wednesday.
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The Dodgers run onto the field after the final pitch Wednesday.
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Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler delivers the final strike of the series against Alex Verdugo. Buehler pitched a perfect ninth inning for the save.
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Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, left, gets a pat on the shoulder from teammate Anthony Rizzo as he leaves the game in the seventh inning Wednesday. All of the five runs scored against Cole were unearned because of New York fielding errors.
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Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts catches a fly ball to end the fifth inning Wednesday.
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Betts and Freeman celebrate after they scored on a double by Teoscar Hernández in the fifth inning. The Dodgers scored five runs in the fifth to tie the game at 5-5.
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The Dodgers' Enrique Hernández is safe at third base after a throwing error by Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe in the fifth inning. The error came right after Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge dropped a fly ball in the previous at-bat.
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Judge drops the fly ball in the fifth inning.
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Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty reacts in the dugout after he was relieved in the second inning down 4-0.
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The Yankees celebrate in the dugout after Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a solo home run in the first inning to put the Yankees up 3-0. It came right after Judge hit a two-run blast.
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Chisholm Jr. tosses his bat after hitting his first-inning home run.
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Judge smacks a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Yankees an early 2-0 lead.
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Judge rounds the bases after his home run. The Yankees star had been struggling at the plate, hitting under .200.
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The Yankees' Anthony Volpe hits a grand slam in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday. The third-inning home run gave the Yankees a 5-2 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They would go on to win 11-4 and cut the Dodgers' series lead to 3-1.
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Fans celebrate after the Yankees won Game 4.
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Dodgers pitcher Brent Honeywell screams into his glove after giving up a three-run homer to Gleyber Torres in the eighth inning Tuesday.
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Volpe slides into home plate, scoring a run in the eighth inning.
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Rizzo catches a foul ball during the fourth inning Tuesday.
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Volpe steals second base in the second inning on Tuesday.
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A pair of Yankees fans were ejected from Game 4 after one of them grabbed Betts' glove and the other grabbed his arm when the Dodgers right fielder tried to catch a foul ball in the first inning Tuesday.
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Freeman celebrates his two-run home run in the first inning of Game 4. He homered in the first four games of this World Series.
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The Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton is tagged out at home by Dodgers catcher Will Smith during Game 3 of the World Series on Monday.
The Dodgers defeated the Yankees 4-2 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
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Freeman celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning on Monday.
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Freeman watches his home run in the first inning of Game 3.
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Stanton runs onto the field before Game 3.
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Players line up for the National Anthem before Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.
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Fans are seen outside Yankee Stadium prior to Game 3.
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Smith, left, and Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia celebrate their
4-2 win in Game 2 on Saturday.
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Stanton sits in the dugout during the eighth inning of Game 2.
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Dodgers pitcher Michael Kopech shushes the Yankees dugout during the eighth inning of Game 2.
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Fans cheer as Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto leaves the game during the seventh inning of Game 2. Yamamoto was nothing short of dominant, striking out four batters while only giving up one hit in 6 1/3 innings.
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Freeman celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of Game 2. The run put the Dodgers up 4-1.
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Yankees outfielder Juan Soto hits a solo home run in the third inning of Game 2.
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Dodgers fans celebrate a home run hit by Tommy Edman in the second inning of Game 2.
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Yamamoto pitches in the first inning of Game 2.
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Rapper Ice Cube performs before Game 2.
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Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón warms up before Game 2.
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Freeman celebrates after hitting a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 1 on Friday. The dramatic home run gave the Dodgers a 6-3 win.
It was a moment that echoed one of the most famous swings in baseball history — Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run to win Game 1 of the 1988 World Series at the same ballpark. The parallels were uncanny: Freeman, like Gibson, is hobbled by a leg injury that has nagged him throughout the playoffs, and the ball landed in the exact same grandstand that Gibson’s home run landed 36 years ago.
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Freeman celebrates with teammates after his walk-off grand slam.
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The Yankees' Nestor Cortes leaves the field after giving up the walk-off grand slam to Freeman.
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Alex Verdugo of the Yankees dives to catch a foul hit by Ohtani in the 10th inning of Game 1.
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Chisholm Jr. steals second base during the 10th inning of Game 1.
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The Yankees take the field during the eighth inning of Game 1.
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Dodgers pitcher Brusdar Graterol reacts after striking out Stanton in the seventh inning of Game 1.
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Ohtani is forced out by during the sixth inning of Game 1.
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Stanton, left, and Solo celebrate Stanton's two-run homer that put the Yankees up 2-1 in the sixth inning of Game 1.
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Enrique Hernández slides safely into home to score the series' first run in the fifth inning of Game 1. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Smith.
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Fans cheer at Dodger Stadium. These two teams last met in the World Series in 1981, which was won by the Dodgers.
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Freeman breaks his bat as he grounds out in the fourth inning of Game 1.
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Flaherty throws a pitch in the second inning of Game 1.
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Judge takes the field ahead of Game 1.
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Fans sing along with a mariachi band that was playing during a tribute to
Fernando Valenzuela before Game 1. Valenzuela, the legendary pitcher whose incredible rise to stardom with Dodgers captivated baseball fans and created the cultural phenomenon known as "Fernandomania,” died October 22 at the age of 63.
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Country artist Brad Paisley sings the National Anthem before Game 1.
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Fireworks are set off during the National Anthem.
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Fans take a photo inside Dodger Stadium ahead of Game 1.
The Yankees would go onto beat the Dodgers 11-4, staving off elimination with the series 3-1 in LA’s favor. No team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit in the Fall Classic.
“It doesn’t matter,” Betts said when asked about the incident afterwards. “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.”
Betts’ teammate Tommy Edman called the incident “unacceptable.”
“Yeah, that looked ridiculous from my perspective,” the Dodgers shortstop said. “The guy was trying to yank his glove off, pulling at his wrist. … It looked like he got ejected, and I’m glad he did. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
It’s not the first time this World Series that Torres has had a ball affected by fan interference.
In Game 1, the Venezuelan was awarded a double after he hit a ball towards left field at Dodger Stadium and a fan reached over the wall and caught it.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
CNN’s Omar Jimenez contributed to this report.