Rays sideline reporter Ryan Bass is being praised for stepping in to brighten a young Guardians fan’s night after she had a home run ball wrestled away from her by a grown man in an embarrassing display during Monday’s game against Cleveland.
The man eventually gave the ball back to the young girl several innings later, Nikki DeVoe, the girl’s mother, revealed in a Facebook post late Monday night.
The moment was captured by the Rays broadcast during the bottom of the fifth inning after the Guardians’ Daniel Schneemann hit a two-run home run to right field at Progressive Field.
The adult fan bobbled the catch of the home run, and it landed right near a young girl, who was coming down the steps to try and get the souvenir — leading the man to wrestle the ball away from her while it was on the ground.
The scene left Rays broadcasters Andrew Freed and Brian Anderson stunned.
One of the broadcasters, while on air, implored, “Give that ball back.”
That’s when Bass sprang into action to make the sad situation a bit better, later appearing in the outfield stands with a baseball for the girl — bringing a smile to her face before she began to cry after Bass walked away.
“Just exercising all of that bonus girl dad energy,” Bass posted on X while re-sharing a clip of the exchange.
He appeared to have also gone back and taken a photo with the young Guardians fan, her mom and her brother, as the two siblings smiled and each held up baseballs.
“Baseball is the best! What a sweet little family,” he wrote on social media.
The Rays broadcast reported seeing the girl’s brother attempt to go up to the man and ask for the ball back for his sister, and DeVore later confirmed in the social media post that it indeed took place.
“You know my son went to ask him for the ball, which was so brave,” she wrote in the post.
DeVore used the post to express her profound gratitude for the kindness that she and her family received during the ordeal.
In particular, she thanked Bass.
“I just have to say thank you to Tampa for broadcasting it, when Cleveland broadcast cut to puppies rather than show the man stealing the ball from a child,” she wrote. “child. I cannot thank Ryan and Tampa enough for making things right. Thank you all for looking out for ALL young baseball fans. It is top notch sportsmanship. My daughter and I cried happy tears. I am so proud of my kids for how they handled tonight, and so proud of Tampa and its fans for standing up for my child.
“The pressure resulted in the man giving her the home run ball back 4-5 innings later towards the end of the game. It wasn’t the same but we appreciated him doing the right thing. But we appreciate all of you even more.”
The incident on Monday over the ball is the first viral moment of such magnitude this baseball season.
Last season, an unidentified woman went viral after she berated a father for a Harrison Bader home run ball that he was giving to his son during a Phillies-Marlins game in Miami on Sept. 5.
The Rays went on to win the game 3-2.
