Mike Trout Reached Into The Stands, Lost The Ball And The Out

It may have looked the same. But, by rule, it clearly was not.

As you may recall, last year during Game 4 of the World Series, two fans violently ripped the ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove at Yankee Stadium. Those fans were immediately escorted out the stadium, and later banned by the team and by MLB from attending any future games (World Series, regular season, or otherwise). And, the batter – Gleyber Torres – was called out by right field umpire Mark Carlson.

Less than a month into the new season, a very similar play happened at Daikin Park in Houston over the weekend. In the bottom of the second inning Saturday afternoon, Yanier Diaz hit a loping fly ball down the right field line. Mike Trout, now the Angels’ right fielder, ventured over to the wall, leaped, and reached into the stands to catch the ball. Like Austin Copabianco and his pal John Peter in New York, this fan appeared to rip the ball out of the fielder’s glove. Like Betts, Trout immediately pleaded with the umpire that he was interfered with and that the batter should be ruled out.

However, as previously reported and discussed here, the rules are vastly different when a ball is “in play” vs. when a player ventures into the stands.

According to MLB Rule 6.01(e): “Spectator interference occurs when a spectator reaches out of the stands and over the playing field, or goes on the playing field, and (1) touches a live ball or (2) touches a player and hinders an attempt to make a play on a live ball.”

If spectator interference is called, the batter is ruled out. The official comment to this rule states: “No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk.”

And that is what umpire Alan Porter (who was also the crew chief) ruled on Saturday in Houston. And Trout seemed to understand the ruling immediately.

After the game, Porter stated:

“The fly ball was in the stands, it was not over the field of play. Once the ball is outside of the field of play, the fielder goes into the stands at his own risk. So, the ball being touched by the fan does not create spectator interference at that point.”

After the play, the fans, Jared Whalen and his son, were quickly moved to other seats by stadium security, but they were not ejected from the park or otherwise punished. In fact, they were rewarded with a meeting with Trout after the game. They were allowed to keep the foul ball (which Trout signed), and given one of Trout’s bats.

There are various ways in which Saturday’s events were different than what transpired in the World Series. The most obvious is that it was ruled that Trout ventured into the stands, and that the fan did not reach into the field of play. Further, from some angles it appeared that the fan actually touched the ball first, which would have made it a dead, and thus foul, ball. But, potentially the biggest difference is that Whalen was immediately contrite. Video shows him apologizing to Trout and offering to give the ball back before the umpire even discussed the play with the superstar outfielder. In interviews after the incident, Whalen stated that in the first instance he was trying to protect his young son. (This statement, however, elides the fact that he clearly ripped the ball out of Trout’s glove. His son was in no danger when Trout held the ball.)

In New York in October, Capobianco and Peter bragged about what they did, and they described their premeditation and their plan if the situation ever presented itself. They were treated as minor heroes in the Bronx, but not among baseball cognoscenti. Their brash approach to dealing with their newfound fame was in stark contrast to a father and son who felt guilty and sought to make amends.

In many ways, Trout’s jaunt into the stands was more reminiscent of Jurickson Profar of the Padres jumping into the left field pavilion in Game 2 of last season’s National League Division series against the Dodgers to rob a home run from that guy again, Mookie Betts. At the time, this writer declared that fans need to do their job for the home team and wrestle the ball away from a fielder who has left the field of play.

In the end, justice was served. The fans got to watch the remainder of the game (albeit from different seats) and received some souvenirs and pictures, to boot. And, since Diaz flew out on the next pitch, no damage was done.