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The outfielder was at-bat when he was captured by the live telecast of Sunday’s game calling a heckler a homophobic slur.
Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran apologized Sunday night after he uttered a homophobic slur at a heckler while at-bat against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park.
The slur was not said loudly, but it was loud enough to be picked up by the NESN live telecast of the matchup, which Boston lost 10-2.
According to video taken from the telecast, the fan yelled at Duran — the outfielder swung and missed a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning — saying repeatedly that he’d need a tennis racket to connect with the baseball.
Duran turned in the direction of the fan and uttered the slur before taking a hitting stance for the next pitch, the video shows.
In a statement, the 2024 All-Star characterized the slur as a “truly horrific word,” saying he felt bad about the incident and that he’ll use it as an occasion to learn.
“I feel awful knowing how many people I offended and disappointed,” Duran said. “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.”
