Dodgers outfielder reaches into stands to make catch and is bizarrely assaulted by Yankee fans

In the first inning of Game 4 of the World Series, Dodger outfielder Mookie Betts reached into the stands to make a catch of a foul ball. After the catch, Betts was basically mugged: Yankee fans in the front row brutally grabbed his glove and his other wrist and wrestled the ball out.

This is obviously horrible behavior, bordering on criminal assault. With Betts's shoulder extended, this could have caused injury. The umpires quickly called fan interference and ruled the batter out. And the two fans were ejected from the game (to Yankee fan applause and hugs).

The proper outcome here is clear, as I don't think the fan interference call was even needed; Betts had already made the catch, with the ball securely in his glove. And the rules obviously don't allow fans to intentionally assault players.

But I do think the rules are unclear.

Rule 6.01(e)  Spectator Interference

When there is spectator interference with any thrown or batted ball, the ball shall be dead at the moment of interference and the umpire shall impose such penalties as in his opinion will nullify the act of interference.

APPROVED RULING: If spectator interference clearly prevents a fielder from catching a fly ball, the umpire shall declare the batter out.

Rule 6.01(e) Comment: There is a difference between a ball which has been thrown or batted into the stands, touching a spectator thereby being out of play even though it rebounds onto the field and a spectator going onto the field or reaching over, under or through a barrier and touching a ball in play or touching or otherwise interfering with a player. In the latter case it is clearly intentional and shall be dealt with as intentional interference as in Rule 6.01(d). Batter and runners shall be placed where in the umpire's judgment they would have been had the interference not occurred.

No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk. However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator's interference.

[Emphasis supplied.]

So there is no interference if a fielder reaches into the stands. "He does so at his own risk."

You can see in the clip the offending Yankee fans arguing with the umpire that what they did was outside the field of play, miming an imaginary barrier at the wall in front of their seats.

So a fan can compete with the fielder for a "batted ball," as long as it is in the stands. The most famous example of this is Cubs fan Steve Bartmann who legally touched (and dropped) a foul ball in the stands before Cubs outfielder Moisés Alou could get to it, thus robbing his own team of an out, and arguably (but not really) causing the Cubs to lose the 2003 National League Championship Series.

But it's unclear exactly what fans are allowed to do when a player enters their realm to make a play. Do they have to get out of the way? Can they "stand their ground" and prevent a glove from penetrating into their space? They can swipe a ball away, but can they swipe a fielder's glove away?

I've always heard announcers say that when a fielder extends into the stands, the fans can do whatever they want to prevent an out (with the obvious unsaid exception of criminal behavior). What does "at his own risk" mean?

I haven't seen an authoritative answer to this yet, but I'm confident that Yankee spectators will continue explore new boundaries of unacceptable fan behavior.