On Sunday night, Jarren Duran issued an apology after being caught on camera directing a homophobic slur at a fan during the Red Sox’s 10-2 defeat to the Astros at Fenway Park.
In a statement released by the Red Sox, Duran said, “During tonight’s game, I used a truly horrific word in response to a fan. I am deeply sorry for offending and disappointing so many people. I apologize to the entire Red Sox organization and, more importantly, to the entire LGBTQ community.”
Duran continued, “Our young fans look up to me as a role model, and I fell far short of that responsibility tonight. I will use this as an opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person.”
The Red Sox also addressed the incident in their own statement. “We spoke with Jarren immediately after the game. We support his apology to our fans, especially the LGBTQ community. We are committed to being an inclusive organization and will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches, and staff on the importance of inclusivity.”
The incident occurred during the sixth inning when NESN’s broadcast captured Duran responding to a heckling fan. The fan had yelled “Tennis racket!” at Duran, who then turned and shouted back, “Shut up you [expletive, expletive].”
Neither the Red Sox nor MLB have announced if any further disciplinary action will be taken against Duran. Historically, MLB and its teams have disciplined players for making hateful remarks towards fans and others. For example, Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar was suspended for two days without pay in 2017 for a similar offense, and Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel was suspended for five games for a racist gesture during the 2017 World Series.
Duran has played all 116 games for the Red Sox this season, enjoying a standout year that included his first All-Star selection and being named All-Star Game MVP in July.
