Fan banned from all MLB stadiums after vile taunt brings star to tears

A baseball fan who heckled a Diamondbacks star with a cruel comment about his late mother has been banned from every stadium.

A 22-year-old White Sox fan who yelled at Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte about his late mother has been banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks.

The league and the White Sox worked together on the decision, the New York Post reports.

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Marte was visibly distraught after hearing the comments during the top of the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game (AEST).

He broke down in tears during the bottom half of the inning.

Ketel Marte was crying on the field after the comments. Picture: francysromerofr/X

He was consoled on the field by Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. Picture: francysromerofr/X

He was consoled on the field by Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, who later said he had heard the comments himself but did not want to repeat the words.

The fan was removed from the game.

“We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan,” the MLB said in a statement.

Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 2017.

Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, who consoled Marte on the field alongside Lovullo, had called for the ban after the game.

Marte's mother died in a car accident in 2017. Picture: Getty Images

“That can’t happen,” Perdomo said of the fan’s alleged actions.

“Everybody knows how Ketel is. He’s fun. He plays the game hard. I feel bad for him. I feel mad about it.

“I hope MLB can do something with that guy. I don’t know who it was, but they’ve got to do something.

“We can’t continue to do that [expletive] here in MLB … he should be banned, for sure.

“Everybody knows Ketel lost his mum. She was the world to him.”

This story originally appeared on New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Fan banned from all MLB stadiums after vile taunt brings star to tears