Yankees fans who mauled Mookie Betts at World Series banned from all MLB stadiums indefinitely - lulu

The two fans who grabbed Mookie Betts’ wrist and tried to rip the ball out of his hand during Game 4 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium have been banned “indefinitely” from attending any MLB games, The Post has learned.

The fans, Austin Capobianco and John P. Hansen, were ejected from the game and banned from Game 5 in The Bronx, which proved to be the final game of the season.

Both were using the seats of a season-ticket holder, who has owned the tickets since 1990 and was not in attendance and will therefore be allowed to keep them. 

Mookie Betts wrestles for the ball with Yankees fans during the World Series.John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

The season-ticket holder was said to support the decision to prohibit the two fans from attending any more games.

In a letter from an MLB official obtained by The Post, the league wrote to the banned fans in part: “Your conduct posed a serious risk to the health and safety of the player and went far over the line of acceptable fan behavior. Based on your conduct, Major League Baseball is banning you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices, and other facilities.”

The letter also stated that if they are discovered at any MLB property or event, they will be removed from the premises and subject to arrest for trespass.

At the time, the Yankees called the fans’ actions “egregious and unacceptable” and in a statement, said “The safety and security of players, fans and Stadium staff is the foundational element of every event held at Yankee Stadium, and it cannot be compromised.’’

The decision to ban the fans from Yankee Stadium moving forward was reached jointly by the Yankees and MLB, according to a source, while the league went further and banned them from all MLB parks.

The two fans have been banned indefinitely from MLB stadiums.John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

Mookie Betts points to the Yankees fans.Jason Szenes / New York Post

Betts was asked last month about the incident during an appearance on a Peacock special titled “Back That Year Up 2024” and said his response to the pair of fans would be: “I would say ‘F–k you guys.’ Get them trying to get the ball. Cool. But, like, you tried to grab my s–t.”

Betts added that at the time, “I was in the moment. So I thought about throwing a ball at ’em. And then I realized, ‘Mook, you ain’t gonna do s–t. Go back to right field.'”

The Oct. 30 incident occurred when then-Yankee Gleyber Torres hit a ball into foul territory in right field, where Betts went to the wall along the stands.

Betts jumped towards the wall and made the catch, but the fans grabbed his glove and pried the ball out of the webbing.

After being ejected from the game, Capobianco told ESPN that he and Peter have long been prepared for such a scenario.

“We always joke about the ball in our area,” Capobianco said. “We’re not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We’re willing to do this.”

He added: “I know when I’m in the wrong and as soon as I did it, I was like, ‘Boys I’m out of here. I patrol that wall and they know that.”

Mookie Betts has since spoken out about the Yankees fans.Getty Images

Capobianco’s brother Darren told The Athletic that Betts was cursing at them.

“I just see the ball kind of — I don’t want to say (go) up for grabs, if that makes sense,” Darren Capobianco said of his brother Austin’s interference on the play. “And then Mookie was swearing at us. Not good.”