MLB Bans Yankees Fans Who Interfered With Mookie Betts From World Series Game 5

After initial reports surfaced that Austin Capobianco and John Peter would be allowed to return to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night, MLB stepped in and asked for the fans to be banned.

Oct 29, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) makes a catch in foul territory as a New York Yankees fan interferes during the first inning in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Despite initially getting let off the hook, two of the surprise stars from Game 4 of the World Series won't be back for Game 5 after all.

In the bottom of the first inning Tuesday night, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres sent a fly ball into foul territory. Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts tracked it down and made a leaping grab at the wall, only to run into some trouble as he tried to record the out.

Two Yankees fans interfered with Betts, doing everything they could to jar the ball loose. One of them grabbed Betts' glove and used both hands to pry it open, while the other grabbed Betts' free hand to stop him from completing the transfer. They succeeded in popping the ball out, but Torres was still ruled out after the umpire called fan interference.

Austin Capobianco, the 38-year-old man who had his hands on Betts' glove, is a season ticket holder. The other man was his friend, John Peter.

"Well, A for effort."

Fan interference was called on this play where a Yankee fan tried to take the ball out of Mookie Betts' glove after an out. pic.twitter.com/iZ6taImncd

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024

Unsurprisingly, the pair was ejected from the game and escorted out of Yankee Stadium. ESPN's Jesse Rogers caught up with Capobiano and Peter at a local bar after the game, where they told Rogers that they were told they would be allowed to return for Game 5.

The New York Post's Justin Tasch reported, however, that the two were later banned from attending Wednesday night's contest. Rogers followed up and reported that MLB had asked the Yankees to ban Capobianco and Peter.

According to Rogers, the Yankees were on the same page. Capobianco told ESPN that he received a call from the team on Wednesday assuring that he and Peter would be arrested if they tried to get into the stadium.

Capobianco had previously told Rogers that he and Peter had long discussed how they would react to an opposing player trying to make a catch in front of them. When the time came, they made sure to "D up."

Following the Yankees' runaway 11-4 win, Betts was asked about the incident in his postgame press conference.

"When it comes to the person in play, it doesn't matter," Betts said. "We lost. It's irrelevant. I'm fine. He's fine. Everything's cool. We lost the game and that's what I'm kind of focused on. We got to turn the page and get ready for tomorrow."

Betts' muted reaction aside, Capobiano and Rogers' actions were an egregious overstepping of boundaries. This was not another Steve Bartman scenario, nor was it a replication of the Jeffrey Maier incident from the 1996 ALCS. Two grown adults made a concerted and premeditated effort to physically overwhelm a player, knowing what the consequences would be and bragging about it after the fact.

And yet, Capobianco was signing autographs and taking pictures with other fans after the game, setting him up to be a local legend of sorts.

Meet Austin Capobianco (middle), the fan that interfered with Mookie. I was talking to him at a local bar when a bunch of other fans asked him to take a pic with him and for his autograph. He was a beaut. Story up soon at ESPN: “If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up.” pic.twitter.com/0XDpfsifvq

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 30, 2024

Capobianco and Peter will have their Game 5 tickets refunded, and it remains to be seen if there will be any additional consequences past this postseason.

Game 5 will be the final contest at Yankee Stadium this year, regardless of the final score. A Dodgers win would crown them as champions, while a Yankees victory would send the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Friday.

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