Boston Red Sox Outfielder Jarren Duran Was Suspended for Two Games Over Homophobic Slur

Content warning: This post contains mentions of anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech.

On Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, during the Boston Red Sox 's loss to the Houston Astros, outfielder Jarren Duran directed a horrific slur at a fan in the stands.

As a result, Duran received a two-game suspension starting with the Red Sox's game against the Texas Rangers on Monday, Aug. 12. What did Duran say to prompt such a serious penalty? Keep reading to find out.

What did Jarren Duran say?

In a video from the game broadcast, a fan can be heard taunting Duran, suggesting he would need a tennis racket to hit the baseball. In response, Duran turned around during his at-bat and shouted a homophobic slur at the heckler.

"Shut up, you f--king f----t," Duran said before resuming his stance for the next pitch.

After the Red Sox's 10-2 loss, Duran apologized for using a "truly horrific word." He also expressed deep regret over the incident and said he'll use it as a learning experience.

"I feel awful knowing how many people I offended and disappointed," Duran said, per NBC News . "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."

According to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, Duran still regrets the situation. On Monday, August 12, Pete posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), revealing that Duran said his comment was made in the "heat of the moment."

Despite this, the Red Sox and MLB handed Duran an unpaid two-game suspension for his distasteful remarks. Additionally, his salary from the two-game suspension was donated to PFLAG (Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).