MLB Fan Who Taunted Ketel Marte Over His Late Mother Has Been Banned From All Big League Stadiums

The MLB community is rallying around Arizona Diamondbacks standout Ketel Marte.

After news spread that the center fielder broke down in tears on the field during a recent game against the Chicago White Sox due to a heckler's inappropriate comments about his late mother, multiple sources have confirmed that the 22-year-old fan has since been banned from all big league ballparks.

Marte was brought to tears during a later part of the Diamondbacks' most recent game after a White Sox fan made inappropriate and insensitive comments about the star player's late mother, who passed away in 2017 following a car accident in the Dominican Republic.

The Diamondbacks' manager, Torey Lovullo, who personally requested the fan's removal from the stadium, could be seen comforting the 31-year-old professional athlete on the field.

After the game, Lovullo opened up about the moment with the media, slamming the heckler as "pompous" and "gross."

"He wasn't getting it and was very pompous, and it didn't sit right with me," Lovullo said, per AP. "It was just a gross comment you wouldn't say about anybody, let alone someone who lost their mom."

Lovullo went on to say that the MLB needs "better baseball fans," and that the league "deserves better."

He also opened up about his emotional interaction with Marte on the diamond, saying, "I just reacted as a dad would when I went out to change pitchers."

He added, "I could see he was sobbing. It hurt."

"(I told him): 'I love you and I'm with you, and we're all together and you're not alone," he continued. "No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you heard, that guy is an idiot. It shouldn't have an impact on you.'"

Although the heckler has since been banned from all MLB ballparks, the AP confirmed the fan seemed "very apologetic and remorseful" about his actions. The AP's report further stated that the fan "admitted to being very inappropriate and stupid with his comments."

Marte's teammate, Geraldo Perdomo, also discussed the incident after the game, saying the fan "should be banned, for sure."

"Everybody knows Ketel has fun, plays the game hard, but I feel bad for him," Perdomo said. "I feel mad about it. I don't know who it was, but they've definitely got to do something. We cannot continue to do that sh-t here in MLB. This is baseball, this is for the fans. They came here, they support us, but when they cross the line, we are not with that sh-t."

And the Diamondbacks aren't the only ones speaking out in support of Marte.

The White Sox displayed a message on the jumbotron during the athlete's first at-bat on June 25, which read, "Baseball is family. The White Sox community supports Ketel Marte."

On social media, users have shared their thoughts about the incident, with many coming to Marte's defense.

"This should not be allowed in sports," someone wrote, adding, "these types of fans ruin the integrity of the game."

They added, "I'm so sorry to Ketel Marte. Just because someone is an athlete doesn't mean they're not human at the end of the day."

"This toxic attitude towards athletes and negativity is unwarranted," the user concluded.

Someone else shared a similar sentiment, writing on X, formerly Twitter, "Fans are brutal. You can joke about a few things to players, but never about [the] death of a loved one. Glad [the] White Sox spoke up."

This situation with Marte isn't the first time an MLB player has made headlines over an incident with a heckler.

In 2024, Boston Red Sox player Jarren Duran was suspended for two games without pay after hurling a homophobic slur toward a fan who told him he needed to bat with a "tennis racket" to hit the ball.

"Shut up," he said before calling the fan a "f-ggot."

Hours after the game, Duran issued an apology, saying he felt "awful" for the impact his words had on others.

"I apologize to the entire Red Sox organization, but more importantly, to the entire LGBTQ community. Our young fans are supposed to be able to look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility. I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person," he concluded.