MLB: Player/fan rivalries

The MLB playoffs are starting to heat up, and more than just the players are getting chippy. Fans play a big part in live sporting events and get too involved in the game sometimes.

Let’s look at some of the biggest player and fan rivalries.

Chase Utley and the Mets

Chase Utley always turned it on against the Mets with a career .281 batting average with 39 home runs (eighth all time against the Mets) and 116 RBI.

In a 2015 NLDS game between the Mets and the Dodgers, Utley slid into second to break up a double play and broke Ruben Tejada’s leg.

In a game that Utley did not start two days later, Mets fans started chanting “We want Utley” by the fifth inning.

Utley would get the last laugh. In a regular season game the following year, after a failed attempt to hit him, Noah Syndergaard was ejected. Utley would hit a solo shot and a grand slam later in the game as the Dodgers cruised past the Mets.

Bryce Harper and the Nationals

After a long contract dispute before the 2019 season, former first overall pick Bryce Harper left the Nationals. Harper would join the division rival Phillies for a 13 year, $330 million deal.

Harper would make a detrimental mistake in his opening interview as a Phillie saying he wanted to bring a championship back to Washington. The Nationals went on to do just that in the 2019 season without Harper, who missed out on the playoffs completely.

Harper still receives a storm of boos anytime he steps up to the plate in Washington. The “boo birds” have expanded to making appearances when visiting any NL East rival.

Padres Players and the Dodgers

In Game 2 of the 2024 NLDS Jurickson Profar went up and robbed a home run from Mookie Betts in the bottom of the first deep into the first row.

Profar and Fernando Tatis Jr. would start jawing at the fans in the outfield after Tatis hit a solo homer in the second to make it a quick 1-0 lead.

Throughout the game, fans started yelling at the outfielders as they played and throwing baseballs allegedly aimed at them.

The trash throwing bled into the bullpen as the fans over the Padres bullpen started doing the same as they did to the outfielders.

The Padres would go on to hit six total home runs that game with Tatis’ second making it a 10-1 game in the top of the ninth.

Mike Piazza and Angels fan

In a late July game in 2007, the A’s were visiting the Angels and looking to at least tie the game at six in the top of the ninth.

Mike Piazza was on deck looking to keep the team alive, when he was struck in the back of the head with a water bottle. He turned around asking the crowd who threw it and the crowd gave no fight in giving up the suspect.

Piazza let him know from the field that he was pressing charges to the suspect as the suspect stood up and walked away.

Piazza would hit a single at that at bat and the A’s would tie it up, but the Angels went on to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth. The suspect would later be detained and charged with assault and battery.

With fans being so close to the field of play, we have seen and will continue to see players being able to interact with fans during play when it comes to foul balls and home runs.

Tristan Kunec is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email tqk5432@psu.edu.