Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos presented his theory as to what set off the “Phillies Karen” in a viral moment caught on camera, where an unknown woman demanded a father hand over a home run ball she deemed to be hers.
During an appearance on “On Base with Mookie Betts,” Castellanos said that he and his teammates became aware of the moment after the Sept. 5 game between the Phillies and Marlins in Miami and came up with a theory as to why the woman acted the way she did.
“When I see that, I don’t just see a ball. I see a very frustrated lady,” Castellanos said. “For years, that felt like she’s been getting the s–t end of the stick and now this thing happened, and she’s like, ‘I’m not finishing second here. I need this for me.’”
The moment drew plenty of attention after the incident went viral, as video showed the angry “Karen” storming up to Drew Feltwell and his son, Lincoln, demanding the ball after the father had — just seconds earlier — put it in his excited son’s glove after a mad scramble.
The Marlins and the Phillies both made things right for Lincoln and his family, presenting the boy, who was celebrating his birthday, with a fan prize pack.
Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader, who hit the home run, also met with the family after the game.
“We saw [what happened] after the game. Bader’s locker was next to mine in Miami, so I was there when our media relations came up and explained the situation,” Castellanos recalled. “And then said, like, ‘hey, do you mind doing this?’ and [Bader] was like, ‘of course,’ and went over and took care of the kid and his family and then some.”
Despite the best efforts of the internet, the “Phillies Karen” has not been identified. Feltwell has called on people to let things go in an interview with USA Today published last week.
“Please don’t do anything to that lady,’’ he said. “Leave it alone. You know, somebody knows her and can talk to her, that’s different. But God, I don’t want people breaking in their house and stuff like that. The internet already messed her up pretty good.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
