A Houston fan was ejected from a game after grabbing a foul ball from Mike Trout’s glove during the second inning of Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. The incident, which eerily resembled a similar play in last year’s World Series, involved Jared Whalen reaching out to take the ball before it reached his young son’s face. Despite Trout’s request for an interference call, umpires ruled no foul, allowing the Astros to continue playing.
Whalen, who was initially unaware of the implications of his actions, kept the ball and apologized to Trout after the play. The outfielder later signed the ball for Whalen and his family. When asked if he thought his action was similar to a banned fan from last year’s World Series, Whalen said it wasn’t intentional, drawing comparisons to Jeffrey Maier, who unintentionally interfered with a game-winning home run in 1996.
After the play, security escorted Whalen’s young son out of the section due to fan behavior. However, Trout intervened and allowed the family to be reunited before the end of the game, as the outfielder acknowledged that no foul was committed.
The incident led to widespread recognition for Whalen on social media, with many fans praising his sportsmanship after initially being booed by Astros fans in the section.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6275187/2025/04/12/astros-fan-interference-mike-trout