When ballplayers get heckled, they’re told to “toughen up.” But what about their families? The bleachers may be loud, but the internet is merciless. After Ketel Marte’s emotional moment, another story surfaced—one that didn’t unfold on the field. The Boston Red Sox star’s family found themselves in the middle of a quieter storm, and this time, the pain came not from a pitch but from a post.
What is wrong with people? Baseball is a sport, and the players are human beings, not assets that one can abuse whenever they feel like. They know the position they are in and the pressure on them. They don’t need people sliding into their DM’s telling them how to play a sport. It is like the Ketel Marte incident has opened a Pandora’s box, and everything is just spilling out.
After Ketel Marte was abused by a White Sox fan, Garrett Whitlock’s wife, Jordan, revealed the abuses she and her family got after a few bad performances by the pitcher. A Boston reporter named Gabrielle Starr posted on her X handle the Instagram Stories the player’s wife had put up after the incident. She wrote, “Garrett Whitlock’s wife, Jordan, weighed in on the Ketel Marte incident and shared some truly horrible DMs their family received this week.”
Things can’t get this bad, and you can’t just wish for someone’s family to suffer because of a game. MLB players may wear armor, but words find their way through the cracks. From dugout jeers to online insults, the abuse rarely stops at the foul lines. Players are expected to perform under pressure, not under personal attack. Yet, far too often, fans forget there’s a person beneath the jersey and stats.
Garrett Whitlock’s wife, Jordan, weighed in on the Ketel Marte incident and shared some truly horrible DMs their family received this week. pic.twitter.com/w0FaIugRYw
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) June 26, 2025
The damage doesn’t end with the player—it bleeds into their homes and families. Loved ones read those comments, hear those boos, feel that hate. The mental toll builds, sometimes quietly, sometimes all at once. No walk-off win can fix a heart that’s been heckled raw.
And when this becomes the norm, the game suffers more than any box score shows. Abuse taints the joy, driving wedges between players and the crowd. Baseball becomes less about unity and more about division and cruelty. That’s not the game we fell in love with.
If a bad outing leads to death threats, maybe the problem isn’t the ERA. From Garrett Whitlock and his wife’s inbox to Ketel Marte’s heartbreak, the message is loud and rotten. Fans can boo a play—but not bruise a soul. Baseball doesn’t need thicker skin; it needs a better conscience. If this is passion, then it’s time we redefine what fandom really means.
The post Victim of Online Hate, Red Sox Star’s Wife Confesses Struggles After Ketel Marte’s Heckling Episode appeared first on EssentiallySports.
