"Now he’s gotta go do gay pride classes"- Zack Cozart reacts to All-Star MVP Jarren Duran using homophobic slur during Astros game

Former MLB All-Star Zack Cozart offered a sarcastic take on the incident involving Jarren Duran in which the Boston Red Sox outfielder directed a homophobic slur at a fan who was heckling him from the stands.

On Sunday, the Boston Red Sox faced the Houston Astros for the final clash of their three-game series at Fenway Park. Jarren Duran stepped up to the plate for the Red Sox in the sixth inning when an Astros fan started heckling him from behind home plate.

In the middle of the at-bat, Duran took a timeout and moved away from the batter's box to compose himself before he lost his cool and fired a homophobic at the heckler. The words were caught by the television microphones inside the stadium and were therefore quite audible during the live broadcast.

"Oh man now he’s gotta go do gay pride classes and bow the knee to the alphabet mafia," Zack Cozart said in a tweet on X.

Duran, who was named MVP at the 2024 All-Star game, has since issued an apology for his actions and promised to do better in the future. The Red Sox also released an official statement in which they apologized to their fans and the LGBTQ community.

Jarren Duran faces possible suspension but receives support from fans for standing up to heckling

Jarren Duran faces a possible suspension for his response to a heckler (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Despite his condemnable actions, Jarren Duran was supported by some fans for replying to the heckler. The MLB imposes no restrictions upon baseball fans in the stadium from vocally taunting players, however, many feel the rule is unfair, as players are forbidden to respond to it.

Therefore, it is probable that Jarren Duran will receive some form of penalty for violating the code of conduct. Short-term suspensions have usually been the mode of punishment for such cases in the past.

In 2012, Yunel Escobar was banned for three games after he wore eye black with anti-gay slogans written in Spanish. In 2017, Kevin Pillar got suspended for two games after firing a homophobic slur at an opposing player. It will be interesting to see what punishment Duran receives from the league.

With the Red Sox losing 2-10 to the Astros on Sunday and sitting 3.0 games back of a wild card spot, this is an unexpected and unwanted distraction.