HOUSTON -- In what looked similar to what happened to Mookie Betts at Yankee Stadium in last year’s World Series, a fan reached into Angels superstar Mike Trout’s glove to take away an apparent leaping catch in foul ground in the right-field corner at Daikin Park in the Angels’ 4-1 win on Saturday.
On a 2-0 count, Houston’s Yainer Diaz hit a ball down the right-field line in foul ground off lefty Tyler Anderson and Trout made a leaping attempt to make the catch to end the second inning. But a fan reached into Trout’s glove to take away the ball and it was ruled a foul ball and not a catch.
Trout complained to the umpires about the play and the fan even appeared to try to hand the ball back to Trout after he wrestled the ball out of his glove. The umpires convened after the play, but it was ruled foul and the play was not reviewed by replay.
Security met with the fan after the play and the fan and his son were relocated to a different area of the stadium. But Trout met with them both after the game and signed both the ball involved with the play and a bat.
“I jumped in and the ball was in my glove, the guy just literally just took it out,” Trout said. “But he was really apologetic. I learn new things every single day. Once I go into the stands, it's free game. Being in right field, it’s a little different. In center, I don’t really get that play.”
Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, said he felt it was important to meet with the fan and his son because he didn’t believe there was any malicious intent.
“They were really apologetic,” Trout said. “It didn't really affect the game. I’ve got kids myself and that kid was probably nine years old. Just seeing them after the game, they were really nice people. They had to move and they probably spent hard-earned money on those tickets.”
Trout added that he was told by first base umpire Alan Porter that once he leapt into the stands, it was no longer fan interference. And that he thought the fan touched the ball before it went into his glove, so it might not have been ruled a catch even if the Angels challenged it.
“He said it doesn't matter,” Trout said. “As soon as your glove hits the stands, it's free game. And if it hits their finger, or the ball hits their hand, I guess it's ruled dead. I guess if he saw the replay, it hits his hands first, so they could’ve challenged it.”
Porter spoke with a pool reporter after the game and confirmed what he told Trout about the ruling.
“The fly ball was in the stands, it was not over the field of play,” Porter said. “Once the ball is outside of the field of play, the fielder goes into the stands at his own risk. So, the ball being touched by the fan does not create spectator interference at that point.”
Diaz, though, flied out to center field on the next pitch to end the inning with the Angels leading by two runs, keyed by a two-run single from Trout in the first inning. It came with the infield in and was just the fourth single of the year for Trout, as six of his 11 hits this year have been homers and he’s also doubled.
“It's just like trying to stay short,” said Trout, who is slashing .212/.317/.577 through his first 14 games. “I think that’s the biggest thing. When I stay short and quick, my swing is on. So what I've been working on the whole year.”
Trout’s early offense proved to be plenty for Anderson, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before it was broken up by an opposite-field double from Yordan Alvarez with two outs. It was an encouraging outing for Anderson, an All-Star last year, as he picked up his first win of the year and improved his ERA to 2.87 through three starts this season.
Anderson said Trout’s effort pumped him up and he simply regrouped after he found out it was ruled foul.
“I thought he caught it,” Anderson said. “It looked like the guy reached into his glove. I saw Mike had the ball in his glove still. But it was still a great effort. And then I made a good pitch and the guy just popped up and just missed it. So just trying to make good pitches.”