Baseball has long prided itself on being a gentleman’s game. MLB has always emphasized less showmanship, more respect, and tradition. But this season, that image seems to be starting to crack. Increasingly, a few disruptive voices beyond the foul lines are making a mockery of the spirit of the game. Remember the insensitive comment directed at the D-Backs slugger Ketel Marte a few days ago? Well, the memory has come back to haunt us again.
This time, it involves the Rangers’ pitcher Jacob deGrom. Again, it involves a fan from the opposing team, and once again, we are hoping for justice to be served. But above all, the repeated harassment is a stark reminder of the challenges players now face beyond the field.
“Stay classy, Baltimore!” MLB analyst Dom reposted an update stating deGrom was reportedly heckled by an Orioles fan, resulting in the fan’s ejection from the seat. While Dom commended the swift response by the Orioles, the reported incident was both creepy and unsettling.
Stay classy Baltimore! pic.twitter.com/TAAXKMFAZW
— Dom (@BronxBmbrz) June 26, 2025
Reportedly, after deGrom dominated the Orioles with a no-hitter, a fan shouted out the veteran’s family members’ names, address, and phone numbers! Previously, we have seen incidents such as interfering with foul balls and trash talks from the stands, but shouting a player’s personal details? Ah, we surely have a problem here.
There have still been no reports of any further consequences for the accused, but we hope MLB takes strict action in this case. In the case of Marte, the accused has been banned from all MLB stadiums. Perhaps, MLB may take a similar action here as well. But honestly, things are certainly getting riskier for the players.
Well, amid all these noises, deGrom has done what he was expected to do: rattle the opponents. For starters, deGrom was electric on Wednesday night, proving his worth as a two-time Cy Young winner. He had a perfect game going through six innings and kept a no-hitter alive until the eighth, when Colton Cowser finally broke it up with a leadoff single. Incidentally, that was the only hit deGrom allowed before the Rangers pulled him.
The Rangers pulled him after 89 pitches, 59 of which were strikes. You can now imagine deGrom’s consistency at the mound. Riding on these heroics, the Rangers cruised to a 7-0 win over the Orioles, and what’s more, deGrom matched his career-best streak of 13 starts allowing two earned runs or fewer!
It’s just that the controversy made the scene grim.
Sudden rise in offensive behavior from the stands in MLB
Fan intervention is nothing new in MLB, but this year, we are witnessing a sudden rise in such instances. Especially when it comes to hurling insensitive comments from the stands, and through online platforms! Remember the incident that happened with Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran? The series decider against the Guardians saw an inappropriate remark shouted from the stands at Duran.
It was insensitivity at its peak, considering Duran faced mental health challenges in the past. The incident drew widespread outrage on social media and condemnation from MLB, the Red Sox, and the Guardians. The outcome was the same: the concerned fan was ejected.
Well, it’s not only beyond the foul lines; players are increasingly garnering hate through social media, too. Next on the list is the Red Sox’s pitcher, Garrett Whitlock. Just after the Marte incident, Whitlock’s wife shared that they were targeted with death threats and vile messages from gamblers amid her husband’s below-par outing.
Credit: MLB.com
Adding to these incidents, deGrom is the latest victim, which calls for a strict action plan from MLB. There were incidents last year and before, but the numbers are especially concerning this year. Respect for privacy works both ways, and it is up to MLB to ensure that all the stakeholders in the game remain safe and secure.
Fans would surely love to see baseball remain a gentleman’s game in the near future.
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