Topline
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran will be suspended without pay for two games after he used an anti-gay slur toward a fan on Sunday, the Red Sox announced Monday.
The outfielder’s salary from the two games will be donated to an LGBTQ advocacy group.
Key Facts
Duran, 27, will be suspended for Boston’s first two home games against the Texas Rangers starting on Monday, the Red Sox said.
During an at-bat in the Red Sox’s loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday, Duran could be heard on the game’s broadcast telling a heckling fan, who could be heard telling Duran he needed a “tennis racket,” to “shut up you f—ing f—t.”
Duran’s salary from his two-game suspension—an unspecified total–-will be donated to PFLAG, formerly the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, an LGBTQ advocacy group, according to the Red Sox.
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Key Background
Duran was named to his first All-Star game earlier this year after signing a one-year, $760,000 contract with the Red Sox in March. Through 116 games this season, Duran is batting .291 and leads the Red Sox with 143 hits. The Red Sox said they had “addressed this incident” involving Duran immediately after Sunday’s gaming, saying they “echo Jarren’s apology to our fans, especially to the LGBTQ community.”
Tangent
Other players have received multi-game suspensions after using anti-gay slurs. Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Joyce was suspended for two games for using an anti-gay slur toward a fan in 2017. Kevin Pillar, then an outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, was suspended two games for using a slur at Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte. Blue Jays infielder Yunel Escobar was suspended for three games in 2012 after he wore eye-black stickers with an anti-gay slur written in Spanish.
