Fan Who Taunted Ketel Marte About Late Mother Banned by MLB
Credit: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
The fan who taunted Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte during a game between Arizona and the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday (June 24) has been banned not just from Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox, but from all MLB ballparks indefinitely.
On Tuesday, the Dominican Marte had to be consoled by manager Torey Lovullo and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo after a fan made insensitive remarks about Marte’s late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who was killed in a car accident in 2017. At the time, the fan was ejected from the stadium without concerning what was said.
And the White Sox went even further. During Wednesday’s game, a message was displayed on the scoreboard as Marte walked up to the plate for the first time. “Baseball is family,” it read. “The White Sox community supports Ketel Marte.”
MLB’s statement about the fan being banned read. “We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan,” while also explaining how the decision to ban him came to be. “On background, MLB & the White Sox have worked together and agreed to ban the fan in question from all major league ballparks indefinitely. There is no place in the game or its ballparks for offensive language. All fans should follow the applicable codes of conduct & contribute to a respectful environment for on-field personnel & fellow spectators in the ballpark.”
The message was displayed during Wednesday’s broadcast.
And the ugly moment has made fans come together. According to MLB.com’s Casey Drottar, “as of this moment, over $11,000 in donations has been sent to the Diamondbacks Foundation in the name of Ketel Marte’s mother since last night. The donations have come from 30 different states and six different countries.”
The White Sox said it best. Baseball is family.
