Diamondbacks players encourage Chik-Fil-A guests to vote Ketel Marte to the All-Star game.
Diamondbacks players encourage Chik-Fil-A guests in downtown Phoenix to vote Ketel Marte to the All-Star game.
A fan who interfered with a ball in play during the Monday night, June 30, game at Chase Field has been banned for the remainder of the 2025 season, the Diamondbacks said Tuesday, July 1.
The fan leaned over the left-center field wall during the eighth inning and caught a fly ball hit by the San Francisco Giants’ Christian Koss. The play initially was ruled an out due to fan interference but was later changed to a ground-rule double following video review.
The club said the fan, who was a season-ticket holder, can return in 2026 assuming he “meets certain terms and abides by our Fan Code of Conduct.”
While the replay review determined no contact was made between the fan and Diamondbacks left fielder Tim Tawa, the call reversed what could have been a game-tying home run. The incident drew immediate scrutiny — not only because of its timing but because this was not the first time the same fan had been involved in similar moments.
Following a wave of public speculation and multiple inquiries from the media, the Diamondbacks issued an official statement addressing the incident. The club noted that it prefers not to comment on individual season-ticket holders, but said it was made an exception because of the high-profile nature of the incident and the fact the same fan had been involved in “multiple offenses” at Chase Field.
The fan, who was not identified by the team but whose name circulated in various media and social media reports, regularly sits in the front row of the left-center field stands. He has been linked to at least five fan interference reviews dating back to 2022. In each instance, the video shows him reaching over or near the fence on fly balls — two of which involved potential home runs hit by Giants players that were ultimately ruled doubles after review.
Major League Baseball leaves enforcement of ballpark behavior primarily up to the individual clubs, and the Diamondbacks referenced their Fan Code of Conduct in their response. Among the posted guidelines is a clear directive that fans are not to interfere with balls in play and that such behavior may result in ejection.
The interference did not result in a run for San Francisco, as Koss was stranded at second base. However, the sequence added to a growing frustration from fans and observers for more stringent action against repeat offenders.
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