Red Sox player Jarren Duran suspended from team, MLB for calling heckler ‘f*ggot’

According to a report from ESPN, During the sixth inning at Fenway Park on Sunday, Duran in the middle of an at-bat turned around and told the heckler, "Shut up, you f*cking f*ggot, The suspension is in line with past discipline issued by the league after a 2017 incident in which outfielder Matt Joyce directed the same word at a fan at the time. Duran, 27, apologized in a statement Sunday, saying that he "used a truly horrific word when responding to a fan" during the game.

"I feel awful knowing how many people I offended and disappointed. 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. I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person," the outfielder added in an apology statement.

Duran is in a breakout season for the team, who are three games behind Kansas City for the American League's wildcard spot. Duran is one of the top hitters in the league, with a batting average of .291, .350 on base percentage, and .503 slugging percentage. He has 14 home runs as well as 29 stolen bases and was named the All-Star Game MVP when he hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning.

"We echo Jarren's apology to our fans, especially to the LGBTQ community," a Red Sox statement read. "We strive to be an organization that welcomes all fans to Fenway Park, and we will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches and staff on the importance of inclusivity." During Duran's suspension, the Red Sox said that his salary will be donated to the LGBTQ organization PFLAG.