Boston Red Sox outfielder Jaron Duran said he was « very let down » after he directed an anti-gay slur toward a fan during Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Houston Astros.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, with Duran 1-2 with two strikeouts and 0-for-2 between pitches, a fan behind home plate yelled, « Tennis racket! Tennis racket! You need a tennis racket. ! »
Duran looked at the fan and could be heard saying on the game broadcast, « Shut your f—ing f—-t up. »
« During tonight's game, I used a truly horrible word when responding to a fan, » Duran said in a statement released by the Red Sox. « I feel terrible knowing how many people I hurt and disappointed. I apologize to the entire Red Sox organization, but most importantly to the entire LGBTQ community. Our young fans can look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility, for myself and my I will use this opportunity to educate teammates and grow as a person.
The Red Sox said they « addressed the incident with Jaren immediately following today's game. »
« We echo Jaran's apology to our fans, especially the LGBTQ community, » the group said in a statement. « We strive to be an organization that welcomes all fans to Fenway Park and will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches and staff about the importance of inclusion. »
The exchange with the fan came after Duran was honored as the team's recipient of the Heart and Hustle Award, which « recognizes a player who has demonstrated passion for the game and best exemplifies its values, spirit and traditions. »
Last month, Duran was named the fifth Red Sox player to be named All-Star Game MVP after hitting a decisive home run in the contest. In 116 games this season, he is batting .291 and leads Boston with 143 hits.
He went 0-for-3 in Sunday's loss.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
