White Sox, MLB ban spectator who taunted Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte

“Baseball is family,” the Rate Field video board declared from left field as Arizona’s second baseman walked to the plate Wednesday afternoon. “The White Sox community supports Ketel Marte.”

Sox fans backed up that sentiment with an ovation for the All-Star infielder, but it sure didn’t feel like it a night earlier for Marte, who broke down in tears Tuesday after a fan hurled an insult about his late mother.

The unidentified 22-year-old spectator’s vitriol earned him an indefinite ban from all MLB ballparks — and it forced fans, players and coaches to once again reckon with the verbal abuse that all too often rains down from the stands at the old ballgame.

“Sometimes we are treated like zoo animals. We’re expected to take it, and we can never give it,” Sox pitcher Tyler Alexander said after learning of the interaction. “I feel like punishments do need to exist for fans, because we do have feelings. We are human beings. We aren’t just animals.”

Marte was overcome with emotion during a pitching change late in the Sox’ 4-1 loss Tuesday in front of 13,001 fans, one of whom yelled the insult during Marte’s at-bat in the top of the seventh inning.

It wasn’t clear what the fan said, but it had to do with Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car crash in the Dominican Republic.

Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo consoled Marte.

A video circulating on social media showed Lovullo after the incident directing stadium security to remove a fan wearing a Chicago Bears jersey, seated in the lower deck on the first-base side.

“I just reacted as a dad would when I went out to change pitchers. I could see [Marte] was sobbing. It hurt,” Lovullo told the Arizona Republic, declining to repeat the fan’s words.

“(I told him): ‘I love you and I’m with you, and we’re all together and you’re not alone. 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.’”

Marte, who remained stoic during play Wednesday, declined to comment through a Diamondbacks’ spokesman. “He knows we love him and he knows how special he is for us. We’ve got his back, for sure,” Perdomo said.

The fan was apologetic and admitted to making inappropriate comments, a source said. He was banned indefinitely from Rate Field and all other MLB stadiums.

“We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan,” according to an MLB spokesman, who wouldn’t say how such bans are enforced.

“We have ways,” Sox spokesman Scott Reifert said. “One idiot fan’s actions don’t dictate a fanbase. I think most people understand that.”

Sox manager Will Venable said he sent apologies to the Arizona clubhouse after it became clear what had hurt Marte.

“No player should ever have to be subjected to that kind of stuff from fans, and that is not reflective of anything that I’ve seen from these White Sox fans,” Venable said. “They’ve been extremely positive and extremely supportive.”

Venable, a former outfielder for the San Diego Padres, said nasty comments have followed him from his playing career to his managing career. Dealing with it comes down to “realizing they’re not talking to me personally. It’s my uniform and I happen to be the dude wearing it.

“Last night’s a great example of how challenging it can be, and these players across the league are hearing this stuff,” Venable said. “There are lines you cannot cross and you know when you hear it.”

Alexander said he and other Sox relievers often find themselves sitting ducks for fans’ verbal abuse in the bullpen. And the negativity is enough to keep him off social media completely.

“All they’re looking for is a reaction. Most of the time, you try not to react, but you can’t help it sometimes,” he said. “It’s another thing where we just are expected to wear it and move on. Mental health is a serious thing in baseball.”

Contributing: Associated Press