CLEVELAND -- A strong weekend from Jarren Duran ended on a sour note in Cleveland on Sunday when he was involved in an incident with a fan in the middle of the seventh inning of Boston¡¯s 13-3 win.
It occurred after the top of the inning, when the Red Sox scored three runs. The fan initially yelled at Duran as he was running back to Boston¡¯s dugout after flying out.
Duran intimated after the game that the fan¡¯s comment was a reference to Duran¡¯s 2022 suicide attempt, which he opened up about in ¡°The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox,¡± an eight-part docuseries about the 2024 Red Sox that came out this year.
While the umpire told Duran that the incident would be handled after the inning, Duran stood at the top of the dugout staring down the fan while the Red Sox took their at-bats.
As soon as Rafael Devers struck out to end the inning, Duran left the Red Sox¡¯s dugout to engage the fan.
¡°He said something inappropriate, but I¡¯m happy that security handled it,¡± Duran said postgame. ¡°Security was aware of it and took care of it for me.¡±
The Guardians released the following statement about the incident:
¡°We are aware of the situation that took place during today¡¯s game between a fan and one of the Red Sox players that violated our fan conduct policy. We recognize the gravity of the behavior at issue here and take very seriously conduct of this nature. We apologize to the Red Sox organization, the player involved, fans in the area and are addressing the situation. We have identified the fan in question and will work with Major League Baseball regarding next steps. We strive to provide the best experience to visiting players and fans, and that fell short today.¡±
Duran was initially held back by some Boston coaches and first-base umpire Stu Scheurwater before he engaged with the fan again. Duran was eventually held back by Ceddanne Rafaela.
Most of the Red Sox dugout came on the field in support of Duran, while numerous fans in the seats at Progressive Field pointed out the fan who made the comment.
The fan then sprinted out of his seat and onto the concourse.
¡°I was in the corner of the dugout, but security did a good job,¡± Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
In the documentary, Duran said in an interview that he attempted to take his own life while dealing with severe depression in 2021 and ¡®22.
While he¡¯s since turned into an All-Star who is the heartbeat of the Boston lineup, he¡¯s still incredibly open about his mental health struggles.
¡°When you open yourself up like that, you¡¯re also opening yourself up to the enemies, but I have a good support staff around me along with teammates and coaches, which is awesome,¡± Duran said.
Duran said it was the first time he¡¯s heard any kind of heckling since the documentary came out.
This isn¡¯t the first time Duran has had an incident with a fan. He was suspended two games last year for directing a homophobic slur at a fan during a game.
¡°It¡¯s a two-way street,¡± Cora said. ¡°We made a mistake last year, and we learned from it. [Duran] grew as an individual and we grew as a group but there¡¯s limits too. Whatever the fan said, security felt that he crossed a line and kicked him out.¡±
Duran, who pulled off a straight steal of home in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Saturday, finished Sunday¡¯s game 4-for-6 with a double and RBI, marking his first four-hit game of the year.