Major League Baseball (MLB) officials overturned a home run call due to spectator interference during the sixth inning of the American League Division Series (ALDS) on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. The play involved a 357-foot fly ball hit by New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe that was initially ruled a two-run home run. After a video review, the ruling was changed to an RBI double, leaving the Yankees trailing the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3.
The event occurred at Yankee Stadium with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning while George Lombard Jr. was on first base. Volpe hit a 95.9 mph sinker from Rays pitcher Griffin Jax toward the left-field wall. A spectator reached over the railing to catch the ball as Rays outfielder Víctor Mesa Jr. attempted a leaping play. Replay official Malachi Moore at the MLB Replay Center determined the fan interfered with the ball over the field of play.
The Rays won the game 4-3, completing a three-game sweep of the Yankees in the best-of-five series. Following the decision, some fans threw objects onto the field, causing a brief delay before Spencer Jones struck out to end the inning. Stadium security and police escorted the spectator who touched the ball out of the venue. Yankees manager Aaron Boone and Rays manager Kevin Cash both stated they believed the officials ultimately reached the correct decision based on the video evidence.
Fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium witnessed a spectator being escorted out for interference. The decision to award a double was based on the Replay Official's judgment that the ball would neither have cleared the wall on its own nor was it guaranteed to be caught by the outfielder. This ruling resulted in one run being scored by Lombard Jr., while Volpe was placed at second base.
The outcome echoes the first game of the 1996 ALCS where a similar play by Jeffrey Maier was allowed as a home run before the implementation of video review. For the 2026 season, the immediate consequence is the conclusion of playoff baseball at Yankee Stadium for the year. The Tampa Bay Rays move on to the American League Championship Series.