Boston Red Sox All-Star Jarren Duran wore a profane t-shirt while addressing the media after using a homophobic slur, prompting Dan Shaughnessy to question the decision.
During the sixth inning of the Red Sox Sunday afternoon game against the Houston Astros in Boston, NESN mics picked up Duran responding to a heckler with, “Shut up, you f*****g f*****.” Following the game, Duran released a statement apologizing to the Red Sox organization and the LGBTQ community. Duran was later suspended for two games by the Red Sox for using the homophobic slur.
Monday evening, Duran met with the media for the first time since the incident and he showed up wearing a t-shirt that read “F*CK ‘EM,” prompting some to question how serious he was about the incident. Shaughnessy was among those who took note of the decision.
“After getting suspended for 2 games for aiming homophobic slur at Fenway fan, Jarren Duran chose to wear this shirt in his pregame presser today,” Shaughnessy wrote.
At first glance, using a homophobic slur and then wearing a t-shirt that reads “F*CK ‘EM” is a bad optic. But this is a shirt Duran has been wearing for most of the season, not one he broke out in response to the backlash over his hot mic incident. In particular, Duran previously explained the shirt is a reference to his past mental health struggles.
Shaughnessy undoubtedly knows the backstory behind the message but chose to share the photo of Duran’s profane shirt without context, at a time when people are undoubtedly on high alert when it comes to the Red Sox outfielder. Could Duran have had the foresight to say, maybe today isn’t the day to broadcast “F*CK ‘EM?” Sure. But also, if it’s a message that he relies on to help his mental health, then you can understand him wanting to lean into it further during a challenging time, albeit one he brought upon himself.
It’s fair to question Duran’s shirt choice from Monday afternoon, but there is still important context that should be provided when doing so.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com