Arizona Diamondbacks’ second baseman Ketel Marte had an emotional experience during a game against the Chicago White Sox this week, which left him in tears. A fan in Chicago shouted a hurtful comment regarding Marte’s late mother, which deeply affected the two-time All-Star. Marte shared this incident during a conversation with Spanish-language journalist Yancen Pujols, providing insight into what transpired.
“A fan was perched on the dugout, yelling things about my mother,” Marte recounted. “He said, ‘Last night I sent a message to your mother.’” The 22-year-old, who faced this during a critical point in the game, was visibly moved. The hurtful comment was directed at him while he was batting in the seventh inning of Arizona’s 4-1 victory over Chicago on Tuesday night. Marte’s feelings were evident on the field, as he was seen shedding tears.
In response to the incident, Major League Baseball swiftly took action the following day, imposing an indefinite ban on the fan from all stadiums. The timing of the comment was even more significant for Marte because it occurred while playing in a city that had a connection to a personal tragedy. Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez, passed away in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 2017, coincidentally, when the Diamondbacks were visiting Chicago to face the Cubs.
Marte expressed his perspective on the situation, highlighting the need for addressing fan behavior. “We have to do something about the fans; they’re going too far,” he emphasized. “They often shout things about me, but never about my mother. Everyone knows about her accident. We’re praying for the man who shouted such things, and his family. May God protect and cleanse his heart.” Marte typically has endured fan heckling with stoicism, but this situation was different due to the personal nature of the taunt.
Despite the incident, Marte remains resilient. While fans are often known to make remarks, this particular incident crossed a line by mentioning his late mother, prompting calls for better boundaries concerning what is acceptable behavior from those in the stands.