Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran released an apology on Sunday night after a video surfaced of him calling a fan a homophobic slur on Sunday against the Houston Astros. The Red Sox television broadcast’s microphones picked up the interaction Duran had with a fan at Fenway Park in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The fan was heard yelling at Duran, “Tennis racket! Tennis racket! You need a tennis racket!”
Duran responded: “Shut up you f—ing f—-t.”
Here’s a video of the incident:
NESN mics picked up Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran calling a heckling fan a “f*cking f*****” during Sunday’s game
(Warning, slur included in clip below) pic.twitter.com/R6UYjJqnCJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 12, 2024
After the game, Duran released a statement through the Red Sox apologizing for the incident.
“During tonight’s game, I used a truly horrific word when responding to a fan,” the statement from Duran read. “I feel awful 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 are supposed to be able to look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility. I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person.”
The Red Sox released a statement from the team, too.
“The Red Sox addressed this incident with Jarren immediately following today’s game,” the statement from the organization read. “We echo Jarren’s apology to our fans, especially to the LGBTQ community. We strive to be an organization that welcomes all fans to Fenway Park, and we will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches and staff on the importance of inclusivity.”
Tim Heitman/Getty Images
The interaction with the fan came hours after Duran was honored before the game as the Red Sox’s recipient of the Heart and Hustle Award. The award recognizes a player on each team that “demonstrates a passion for the game and best embodies its values, spirit, and traditions.” The Red Sox honored Duran on the field during a pregame ceremony.
Duran is in the midst of a breakout season in Boston. The 27-year-old was an All-Star for the first time in his career and won the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award after hitting a go-ahead two-run home run in the game.
On the year, Duran is hitting .291/.350/.503 with 14 home runs, 58 runs batted in, 36 doubles, 13 triples, and an OPS of .853.
The Red Sox take on the Texas Rangers in Boston on ESPN on Monday night.
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