Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has been temporarily suspended without pay after using a homophobic insult on a fan who was harassing him during a baseball game on Sunday.
While the Red Sox took on the Houston Astros on the Texas team’s home field, Duran was caught using profanities on a microphone during the broadcast.
Duran had already been knocked out twice when fans in the stands began to boo in the sixth inning.
A spectator shouted, “Tennis racket! Tennis racket! You need a tennis racket!”
The 27-year-old outfielder turned to the baseball fan and said, “Shut up, you f—ing f—t.”
As part of his suspension, the 27-year-old baseball player will miss two Red Sox games, the team announced Monday. The organization said it discussed the incident with Duran immediately following Sunday’s game.
Duran’s salary for the two games missed will be donated to the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Red Sox said.
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After Sunday’s game, Duran apologized through the Red Sox organization.
“During tonight’s game, I used a truly horrible word when responding to a fan,” he said in the statement released to Boston media. “I feel terrible knowing how many people I offended and disappointed. I apologize to the entire Red Sox organization, but more importantly, to the entire LGBTQ community.”
“Our young fans should look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility,” he continued. “I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person.”
The Red Sox lost 10-2 to the Houston Astros.
Their next game is against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on Tuesday night, where Duran will not play. He already missed the Red Sox’ game against the Rangers on Monday night, in which the Boston team prevailed.
During the season, Duran had a batting average of .291. In July, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the MLB All-Star Game.
Duran isn’t the only MLB player suspended for using a homophobic slur.
In 2017, then-player of the Toronto Blue Jays Kevin Pillar was suspended for two games for calling an Atlanta Braves pitcher an insult. Three months later, Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce was also suspended for two games after he insulted a fan in the same way as Duran. Both Pillar and Joyce apologized.
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Sarah Do Couto
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