During the second inning of the Los Angeles Angels' game against the Houston Astros on Saturday, the Astros' Yainer Diaz hit the baseball far toward right field by the stands. Angels outfielder Mike Trout came running to catch the ball, but as he jumped up to haul it in, an Astros fan named Jared Whalen snatched the baseball out of his hand, reminiscent of when a fan tried grabbing a ball from Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts during the World Series last fall.
Trout was frustrated in the moment, especially as the play was ruled a foul ball, not fan interference. Soon after, security escorted Whalen out of the section.
The fan, who quickly realized he made a mistake, was ejected from the stadium. pic.twitter.com/kCGOVq85AX
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Whalen later explained that he was simply trying to guard his son from the incoming baseball, and apologized to Trout.
“I just didn’t know what was going on,” Whalen told The Athletic. “I didn’t realize it was a play. It was coming at my son’s face. I just reached out.”
“I was more looking at the ball coming for my son’s face,” Whalen said. “I made sure I wasn’t in the field of play. I apologized, and [Trout] nodded his head and we’re good, I think.”
Whalen and his son ended up meeting with Trout after the game. Trout shook hands with both Whalen and his son, and signed a baseball for the son.
“I got kids myself. The way he reacted, he obviously didn’t do it on purpose,” Trout said to The Athletic. “Well, I don’t know if he didn’t do it on purpose. But just the way he reacted, and his kid, and they got moved. They probably spent hard [earned] money on those tickets.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Astros Fan Gives Understandable Reason He Stole Catch From Mike Trout.
