Furious Dodgers star Max Muncy has suggested Mookie Betts could press charges against Yankees fans guilty of “borderline assault” during the World Series.
Two New York fans, identified as Austin Capobianco and John Peter, were ejected from Yankee Stadium for trying to rip the ball out of Betts’ glove during Game 4 on Tuesday.
The team called their actions “egregious and unacceptable” and both fans were banned from returning for Game 5 on Wednesday.
It turned out that their tickets were for 15-year-old cancer patient Calvin Young and his family and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it the “perfect” outcome.
But some of his players were angry at Betts’ treatment and demanded even harsher punishment for fans.
Two Yankees fans were ejected after trying to rip the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove
Both fans were banned from returning for Game 5 following the incident at Yankee Stadium.
That is an assault to the limit. You could press (charges) for that,’ Muncy said. ‘Should be an instant ban for life. “They should never again be allowed into any stadium.”
he told the New York Post: ‘If it’s something accidental when you try to catch the ball and you hit a (player), that’s one thing.
“But in that scenario, you have two guys trying to grab Mookie’s glove and then his hand; that’s a lifetime ban.”
Infielder Gavin Lux echoed Muncy’s words, calling the fans’ behavior “absolutely ridiculous.”
Furious Dodgers star Max Muncy suggested Betts could press charges over incident
Infielder Gavin Lux echoed Muncy’s words, calling the fans’ behavior “absolutely ridiculous.”
“Banned for life, whatever it is, there has to be some disciplinary action,” he said. ‘You can’t grab a player’s arm and hold him down. There’s no place for that.’
Capobianco admitted that Peter “crossed a line” by grabbing Betts’ arm. But he showed little remorse after the incident and was booed by Yankees fans as they were led out of the stadium, with some high-fiving and shaking hands.
Betts downplayed the locker room clash after the game, which ended with an 11-4 Yankees victory. ‘It doesn’t matter. We lost. It’s irrelevant,’ he insisted.
But Muncy added: “Everyone high-fives, that’s not a high-five thing… you could have really hurt our right fielder.”