The New York Yankees appear to be taking measures to prevent a repeat of the ugly scene that broke out at the end of Saturday’s walk-off win against the Cleveland Guardians.
A team spokesman told reporters on Sunday that there would be extra security at the stadium following Saturday’s incident in which several fans tossed garbage and half-full water bottles and beer cans at Guardian players in right field.
To what extent there will be extra security is unclear, but it is evident that the organization is doing what it can to crack down on unruly fan behavior.
Things began to escalate in the ninth inning of Saturday’s 5-4 Yankees win when fans began taunting Steven Kwan after he crashed into the left field wall attempting to make a play on what was the game-tying hit.
Guardians outfielders Myles Straw and Oscar Mercado began snapping back at the fans, with Straw climbing the fence and getting into one fan’s face.
After Gleyber Torres laced the game-winning hit into right-center field, someone chucked trash that landed by Mercado’s feet. More trash began to rain down on the outfield, where Mercado and Straw were patrolling and Yankees players had to halt their celebration in order to beg fans to stop.
Kwan, who cleared concussion protocol and was back in the lineup for the Guardians on Sunday, appreciated the extra measure the Yankees were taking.
“It obviously shows that the Yankees care about our safety and [we] appreciate that,” he said before the game. “That’s a very classy move from them.”
The Yankees have had multiple incidents involving fans throwing objects since the start of last season.
Fans hurled baseballs onto the field last April during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays while another fan hit Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo in the back after throwing a home run ball back onto the field.
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