The Boston Purple Sox and Main League Baseball have suspended outfielder Jarren Duran for 2 video games after he uttered an anti-gay slur at a fan in the course of the workforce’s loss Sunday to the Houston Astros.
Duran’s suspension started with Monday’s recreation towards the Texas Rangers. The Purple Sox additionally introduced that Duran’s wage from the suspension shall be donated to PFLAG (previously referred to as Dad and mom, Households and Mates of Lesbians and Gays). Duran earns $760,000 and can lose $8,172.
Within the sixth inning of Boston’s recreation Sunday at Fenway Park, Duran circled in the midst of an at-bat and mentioned to a heckler: “Shut up, you f—ing f—-t.”
Duran, 27, apologized in an announcement Sunday evening for utilizing “a really horrific phrase when responding to a fan.”
Earlier than answering reporters’ questions in the midst of the clubhouse Monday, Duran began by additional apologizing to followers whom he mentioned reached out to him and mentioned “they have been upset in me.”
“I am sorry for my actions and I’ll work on being higher,” the 27-year-old outfielder mentioned, as quoted by The Related Press.
“All of us love Jarren,” teammate Rob Refsnyder mentioned after hitting a walk-off single in Boston’s 5-4, 10-inning win over Texas on Monday evening. “He’ll study from this. We’re all human. All of us make errors, however he’ll study from this.”
President and Chief Government Officer Sam Kennedy mentioned the membership was in contact with Main League Baseball after the sport.
“It is a actually troublesome day, disappointing,” Kennedy mentioned, talking to the media instantly outdoors the clubhouse. “I am pleased with the best way the group addressed the scenario and I am pleased with Jarren for acknowledging his horrific mistake.”
Standing subsequent to Kennedy, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow mentioned the workforce nonetheless had work to do.
“I believe it’s putting proof that whereas we now have made strides and accomplished nice work, we have not accomplished almost sufficient,” he mentioned. “I believe that an incident like this is a vital reminder that there is ton of progress that also must be made.”
Duran advised reporters that the fan had been “heckling me your complete recreation and I mentioned one thing I should not have mentioned.”
Duran mentioned he instantly turned and apologized to plate umpire Jordan Baker and Houston catcher Yainer Diaz “for my actions. They have been proper there, they heard me say it. I am assuming they reduce the mic due to my inappropriate phrase.”
Purple Sox supervisor Alex Cora mentioned: “There’s quite a lot of work to be accomplished and I am right here to assist him out.”
Cora mentioned he had spoken to Duran in the course of the day.
“He made a giant mistake, he is dwelling with it, proper,” Cora mentioned to reporters. “As a supervisor, I’ve bought to do my job. As an individual, there’s extra from my finish. … It is what I can do as an individual to assist him and assist him to be higher.”
The suspension is according to MLB’s previous self-discipline for the usage of anti-gay slurs. In 2017, the league suspended Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce two video games for steering an anti-gay slur at a fan. That very same season, then-Toronto outfielder Kevin Pillar was banned two video games after directing a slur just like that utilized by Duran at Atlanta reliever Jason Motte, whom Pillar believed had struck him out on a fast pitch.
In 2012, Blue Jays infielder Yunel Escobar acquired a three-game suspension for sporting eye-black stickers with an anti-gay slur in Spanish.
“Throughout tonight’s recreation, I used a really horrific phrase when responding to a fan,” Duran mentioned in an announcement launched by the Purple Sox on Sunday. “I really feel terrible understanding how many individuals I offended and upset. I apologize to your complete Purple Sox group, however extra importantly to your complete LGBTQ neighborhood. Our younger followers are supposed to have the ability to look as much as me as a job mannequin, however tonight I fell far in need of that accountability. I’ll use this chance to coach myself and my teammates and to develop as an individual.”
Duran mentioned Monday that there was no intent behind the phrase, and it was simply “the warmth of the second.”
“I believe what’s extra essential is what occurs going ahead,” Kennedy mentioned. “We have labored actually onerous the previous 2½ many years to ensure that Fenway Park is a spot the place everyone seems to be welcome.”
Duran is within the midst of a breakout season for the Purple Sox, who had misplaced 4 consecutive video games earlier than Monday’s win and path Kansas Metropolis by two video games for the ultimate wild-card spot within the American League. He ranks among the many prime 10 gamers in MLB in wins above alternative and is hitting .291/.350/.503 with 14 residence runs and 29 stolen bases. Duran was named All-Star Sport MVP after hitting a go-ahead residence run within the fifth inning.
“We echo Jarren’s apology to our followers, particularly to the LGBTQ neighborhood,” the Purple Sox mentioned in an announcement. “We try to be a corporation that welcomes all followers to Fenway Park, and we’ll proceed to coach our workers, gamers, coaches and employees on the significance of inclusivity.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.