Azariah Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was in tears during a game against the Chicago White Sox after an opposing fan made a hurtful comment about his late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car crash in the Dominican Republic. The incident, which occurred during a seventh-inning pitching change, led to the fan being banned from MLB, and Mart. Marte revealed the comment during an interview, prompting outpouring of support and condemnation of the fan’s behavior.
The fan, who had made the comment during the game, was indefinitely banned from MLB after the incident, according to the league. Marte, the 31-year-old All-Star, claimed that the fan shouted,