Red Sox's Jarren Duran Issues Apology After Homophobic Slur Incident

After using a homophobic slur on a heckling fan during Sunday’s 10-2 loss to the Houston Astros at Fenway Park, Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has apologized and expressed regret.

The event happened in the bottom of the sixth inning, with Duran having a rough day at bat and the Red Sox down big. A spectator shouted, “Tennis racket! Racket for tennis! You should get a tennis racket. Duran answered with a homophobic slur in a fit of rage that was shown on live television.

Duran Admits Mistakes

Duran accepted the seriousness of his conduct in a Red Sox statement:

“By responding to a fan tonight with a genuinely insulting word, I made a terrible error. I sincerely apologize for disappointing and upsetting so many people. I apologize to the LGBTQ community and, more importantly, to the Red Sox organization as a whole. I must serve as an example for our young followers, and tonight I fell short of that duty. I’m going to take advantage of this chance to better myself and my teammates by learning new things.”

Red Sox Reacts

The Red Sox organization quickly responded to the situation by releasing a statement that emphasized their dedication to diversity:

“After the game, we spoke with Jarren about the event right away. We are sorry to our supporters, the LGBTQ community in particular. We work hard to make Fenway Park a welcoming place for all fans, and we’ll keep teaching our employees, players, coaches, and team members the value of inclusivity.”

Incident Overshadows Late Success

The regrettable occurrence happened shortly after Duran was given the team’s Heart and Hustle Award—an honor that recognizes a player’s love for the game and embodies its values—during a pre-game ceremony. Moreover, Duran had just blasted a game-winning home run and was chosen the Red Sox MVP of the All-Star Game.

Duran has led Boston with 143 hits this season and has a.291 batting average, but his recent accomplishments have been overshadowed by his actions on Sunday.