MLB
Jarren Duran keeps making headlines, on and off the field
Warned by the league to change his expletive emblazoned shirt, Duran says it is “a fine I’d be happy to pay” and continues regardless.
Jarren Duran is having a breakout season that screams All-Star. The Red Sox outfielder has been crushing it on the field, and he’s also making waves with his bold stance on mental health. The latest? A dramatic walk-off hit against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 24 at Fenway Park, followed by a statement that left everyone talking.
As the hero of the game, Duran faced NESN’s Jahmai Webster for a postgame chat, but it wasn’t just his clutch performance that caught attention. Duran rocked a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “F*ck ‘Em,” sending a clear message to his “mental demons.” It’s not every day you see that kind of statement on a broadcast, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
But Duran’s fashion statement came with some backlash. According to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, a letter from MLB senior VP of on-field operations, Michael Hill, appeared next to Duran’s locker, featuring a screenshot of him in the shirt during the NESN interview. The letter made it clear: no more shirts with expletives allowed on camera.
“I’m not surprised because obviously, it’s bad words and bad language,” Duran admitted before the Red Sox took on the Marlins at loanDepot Park. “It’s understandable. I’m glad they didn’t fine me. They just gave me a warning. If I ever hit a walk-off again, I’ll just take everything off so I don’t get in trouble.
“But that would be a fine I’d be happy to pay. I wouldn’t have a problem paying that fine because it’s just me wearing something that means a lot to me.”
Duran has been a vocal advocate for mental health, a cause that’s getting support from his teammates and manager Alex Cora. The Red Sox have rallied behind the message, especially after Chris Martin was placed on the injured list due to anxiety.
With Duran’s standout season and his fearless approach to addressing mental health, who knows what he’ll do next? If he keeps racking up the hits, we might just see him changing shirts live on NESN again. And if that means another walk-off for the Sox, Red Sox Nation will be all for it.