Furious Dodgers star Max Muncy has suggested Mookie Betts could file charges against the Yankees fans guilty of ‘borderline assault’ during the World Series.
Two New York supporters – identified as Austin Capobianco and John Peter – were ejected from Yankee Stadium for trying to rip the ball from Betts’ glove during Game 4 on Tuesday.
The team called their actions ‘egregious and unacceptable’ and both fans were banned from returning for Game 5 on Wednesday.
It emerged that their tickets went to 15-year-old cancer patient Calvin Young and his family, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts calling it the ‘perfect’ outcome.
But some of his players were angry at Betts’ treatment and demanded even harsher punishment for the fans.
‘That’s borderline assault. You could file (charges) for that,’ Muncy said. ‘It should be an instant lifetime ban. They should never be allowed in any ballpark ever again.’
He told the New York Post: ‘If it’s an accidental thing where you’re trying to catch the ball and you bump a (player), that’s one thing.
‘But in that scenario, you have two guys trying to grab Mookie’s glove and then his hand — that’s a lifetime ban.’
Infielder Gavin Lux echoed Muncy’s words, branding the fans’ conduct ‘absolutely ridiculous’.
‘Banned for life, whatever it is, there has to be some disciplinary action,’ he said. ‘You can’t grab a player’s arm and hold on. There’s no room for that.’
Capobianco admitted Peter ‘crossed the line’ by grabbing Betts’ arm. But he showed little remorse following the incident and Yankees fans booed as the were led out of the stadium, with some offering high-fives and handshakes.
Betts played down the clash in the locker room after the game, which ended in an 11-4 Yankees win. ‘It doesn’t matter. We lost. It’s irrelevant,’ he insisted.
But Muncy added: ‘Everyone’s high-fiving them — that’s not something to high-five about… you could have really hurt our right fielder.’
