Jarren Duran and the Boston Red Sox issued statements apologizing Sunday after the outfielder loudly uttered a homophobic slur toward a fan who was booing him.

During Sunday’s game between the Red Sox and the Houston Astros, NESN microphones picked up Duran shout a homophobic insult back to a fan who booed him in the stands at the end of the sixth inning. The Red Sox lost the game 10-2 to the Astros.

After the game, both Duran and the Red Sox released statements apologizing for the incident, with the team saying they discussed the matter with the outfielder immediately after the game.

Red Sox release statement from Jarren Duran, who hurled a homophobic slur at a fan during tonight’s game. pic.twitter.com/CYFYxXmID6

—Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) 12 August 2024

“During today’s game, I used a truly horrible word in response to a fan. I feel terrible thinking about 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 should 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 grow as a person.”

“The Red Sox discussed this incident with Jarren immediately following today’s game. We join Jarren in his apology to our fans, especially the LGBTQ community. 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.”