Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Audio By Carbonatix
Another week, another story about fans making death threats against a Major League Baseball player. This week, it’s Francisco Lindor’s wife Katia who is calling out fans for their vile comments.
“I’m quick to defend the underdog, not so much the privileged, for obvious reasons… I’ve received death threats over my husband’s performance on the field… Frustration is valid. Dehumanization is not. Let’s be better,” Katia Lindor wrote in the caption to an Instagram post on Sunday.
In the body of the post, Katia Lindor wrote, “Removing the human element behind athletes who make a lot of money reflects a deep and unfortunate disconnect in our collective sense of humanity. When people see athletes primarily through the lens of their salaries or endorsements, they often forget that these are individuals with families, mental health struggles, cultural identities, and personal journeys shaped by adversity, discipline, and sacrifice. Dismissing their emotional needs or physical limits simply because they are well-compensated reinforces the toxic belief that money strips a person of their right to be seen with empathy.
“It’s also important to understand why many athletes earn high salaries in the first place. It’s not arbitrary – it’s because society places enormous value on sports, especially men’s professional sports. Billions of dollars are funneled into this industry through ticket sales, TV rights, merchandising, advertising, and more. The salaries reflect the revenue they help generate. In other words, athletes earn what they do because the public at large is willing to pay to watch them perform. Their income is a reflection of collective cultural priorities, not a moral failing on their part.”
After seeing Katia Lindor’s message, as well as the threats and negative comments made to players like Ketel Marte, Carlos Rodon, Liam Hendricks, Lance McCullers, Jr., and their families, former Major League Baseball player Eric Thames decided to speak out, specifically taking aim at the fans in New York and Philadelphia.
“That place, and the vibe there, is second to none,” Thames said, talking about his time playing in Milwaukee, according to Essentially Sports. “People just want to have fun and watch a good game… It’s not like Philly or New York, where you are getting death threats.”
A recent poll of Major League Baseball players revealed that 78.2 percent of them feel that legalized sports betting has negatively affected how fans treat them, their teammates, and their families.
Last week, Minnesota Twins director of security Charles Adams says dealing with threats made to players and their families has become “pretty common.” It has gotten so bad he says, that “sadly, it is a postgame routine.”
So, despite what Eric Thames said, it’s not just in Philadelphia and New York where fans making threats to players and their families has become a significant problem. How to fix it, however, is a mystery that has yet to be solved.