Astros fan rips foul ball out of Angels star Mike Trout's glove in bizarre scene

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Another fan-player controversy involving a foul ball found its way to the MLB stage on Saturday night, this time involving Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout and a Houston Astros patron. 

Yanier Diaz of Houston skied a ball down the right field line, and Trout began tracking it all the way toward the edge of the seats. 

That’s when he jumped to catch the ball only to have it ripped out by Astros fan Jared Whalen out of his glove. 

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Los Angeles Angels right fielder Mike Trout walks on the field before the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

MLB fans on social media immediately compared the situation to the 2024 World Series when New York Yankees fans took the ball, and glove, off Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts’ hand, causing their ejection. Those fans also got an indefinite ban from all 30 big league ballparks. 

However, there’s a key difference in this situation because Whalen was in his right to grab the ball due to it being in foul territory. He never reached over the border to make the catch a la Steve Bartman on that fateful day at Wrigley Field.

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Whalen spoke to The Athletic after the game, saying he was simply defending his son as the ball was headed in his direction. 

"I just didn’t know what was going on," he said. "I didn’t realize it was a play. It was coming at my son’s face. I just reached out."

Los Angeles Angels right fielder Mike Trout (27) greets Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve before the game at Daikin Park. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

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