Major League Baseball has banned a Chicago White Sox fan from all 30 stadiums for life after a disgusting verbal attack aimed at Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.
The incident occurred during Tuesday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field. As Marte approached the plate in the seventh inning, a fan behind the on-deck circle began heckling him—shouting vile remarks about his late mother, who passed away in a car accident in 2017. The comments were heard by nearby fans and quickly drew the attention of players and security.
Marte was visibly shaken. He stepped out of the batter’s box and broke down in tears, briefly walking away from the plate. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was seen shouting toward the stands before security swiftly ejected the fan.
What followed was swift and decisive. The White Sox organization banned the individual from their stadium indefinitely, and Major League Baseball extended the ban to cover all league venues, citing zero tolerance for personal and abusive behavior.
“We have no place for that kind of conduct in our sport,” the league said in a statement.
Marte did not speak publicly about the incident, but teammates stood firmly behind him. Geraldo Perdomo called the heckling “disgusting” and said banning the fan was the “only right move.” Manager Lovullo described the moment as “gross and heartbreaking.”
Fans across the league rallied in support of Marte, with applause and chants of encouragement during his next at-bats. Signs bearing messages like “We love you Ketel” popped up throughout the Diamondbacks’ dugout and in social media feeds league-wide.
Baseball has always allowed room for hecklers, for fans to play their part in the emotional rhythm of the game. But this incident made one thing clear: passion is not an excuse for cruelty, and grief is not fair game.
With its firm stance, MLB has drawn a line—and for one fan, that line was crossed beyond return.