Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has been temporarily suspended without pay after he was recorded calling a heckling fan a homophobic slur during a baseball game on Sunday.
As the Red Sox faced the Houston Astros on the Texas team’s home field, Duran was caught by a live mic using the slur during the broadcast.
Duran had already struck out twice when fans in the stands began heckling in the sixth inning.
One spectator called out, “Tennis racket! Tennis racket! You need a tennis racket!”
The 27-year-old outfielder turned to face the baseball fan and was and retaliated, “Shut up, you f—ing f—t.”
As part of his suspension, the 27-year-old baseball player will sit out two Red Sox games, the team announced on Monday. The organization said it addressed the incident with Duran immediately after Sunday’s game.
Duran’s pay from the two missed games will be donated to the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Red Sox said.
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Following the game on Sunday, Duran issued an apology through the Red Sox organization.
“During tonight’s game, I used a truly horrific word when responding to a fan,” he said in the statement provided to Boston media. “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,” he continued. “I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person.”
The Red Sox lost to the Houston Astros 10-2.
Their next game is against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on Tuesday evening, where Duran will not play. He already missed the Red Sox game against the Rangers on Monday night, which saw the Boston team triumphant.
Throughout the season, Duran has boasted a .291 batting average. In July, he was named the most valuable player (MVP) at MLB’s all-star game.
Duran is not the only MLB player to be suspended for using a homophobic slur.
In 2017, then-Toronto Blue Jays player Kevin Pillar was suspended for two games for calling an Atlanta Braves pitcher a slur. Three months later, Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce was also suspended for two games after he called a fan the same slur as Duran. Both Pillar and Joyce apologized.