MLB Player’s Wife Shares Awful Messages Amid Heckling Drama
The sports community has stood in solidarity with Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte this week after he was subjected to abuse from a spectator.
The attendee was thrown out of a game on Tuesday night in Chicago after taunting Marte about his late mother, who died several years ago in a car accident.
Marte was visibly emotional on the field, and was consoled by his manager and teammates. Reports confirmed the nature of the fan's comments after the game.
MLB would go on to publicly ban the fan from all of its ballparks, but another player's wife is showing just how common these instances have become.
Jordan Whitlock, wife of Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock, defended Marte on social media before sharing posts her family has been subjected to.
"This. Is. Not. Okay," Whitlock said, sharing the video of Marte crying during Tuesday's game.
"Athletes are people too. Not pieces you bet on and earn the right to taunt and degrade. Some of the most resilient men I know are pro athletes. Imagine that's your friend, spouse, son."
Whitlock then displayed several messages sent to her and her husband on social media, all of which have come within the last week. The messages threaten her and her child and contain several slurs, among other foul language.
"No one should have to deal with this in any work setting," Whitlock said.
"Leave people's families out of it. That line should not be crossed. This is not 'a part of the game.' This is unacceptable."
Whitlock mentioned Marte and Lance McCullers, a Houston Astros pitcher who recently received death threats from users on social media after a game.
The threats against McCullers were taken seriously, and the Astros gave the pitcher 24-hour security after learning of them. A bettor from outside the United States admitted to making the threats, citing frustration over a lost wager.
"These are not one-off incidents," she added. "They are just the ones you hear about because there are too many to speak of. I do not share this for pity, only to raise awareness. Think twice before you heckle or hit send."