Baseball star Jarren Duran apologises for using ‘horrific’ homophobic slur during game

Baseball star Jarren Duran has apologised after directing a “horrific” homophobic slur at a fan during a game in Boston.

The Boston Red Sox outfielder was caught shouting the homophobic slur “f****t” during a match against the Houston Astros on Sunday (11 August).

After the Fenway Park fan yelled that Duran needed a “tennis racket”, the star turned towards the heckler and told him to “shut up” and directed the slur at them.

Following a 10-2 loss, Duran issued an apology. “During tonight’s game, I used a truly horrific word when responding to a fan,” he said. “I feel awful knowing how many people I offended and disappointed.

“I apologise to the entire Red Sox organisation, 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 vowed to use the incident to educate himself on why using the slur is wrong.

The Red Sox also addressed the matter, saying that they spoke to the player immediately after the game.

“We echo Jarren’s apology to our fans, especially to the LGBTQ+ community,” a club statement read. “We strive to be an organisation that welcomes all fans to Fenway Park, and we will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches and staff on the importance of inclusivity.”

The outburst was especially ill-timed, occurring less than a week after the death of Billy Bean, a Major League Baseball trailblazer who became the second former professional player to come out as gay.

In late 2023, former Houston Astros pitcher Hector Neris was accused of shouting a homophobic slur at Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodríguez.

Neris issued a public apology, but denied he had used an unacceptable word. “There were reports that I used a homophobic slur, which are simply incorrect,” he said. “That did not happen and any suggestion to the contrary is wrong.”

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