One Direction once said, “Just how fast the night changes”; and Jarred Duran is living that right now. Just a month ago, he was a hero – the All-Star MVP. He could do nothing wrong, but after yesterday, things changed rather spectacularly. During a 10-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday, Duran tried to silence a heckling fan and ended up uttering a homophobic slur—an incident caught on camera that has set off a firestorm.

Baseball has been striving for inclusivity, especially with the recent passing of Billy Bean, and now, considering Duran’s offensive comment that has further complicated the situation, going against everything the league stands for. In the aftermath of this incident, Jarred and the team quickly apologized for the mistake, but has the damage already been done? Could Duran be facing some disciplinary action for his mistake?

What triggered Duran’s outburst?

Soon after the heated exchange between the fan and Jarred Duran, the video started circulating. In this clip, we could see that during the sixth inning of the match, when Duran was batting, a fan was constantly mocking the baseball star, saying, “You need a tennis racket”. Duran then turned back towards the audience in a very aggravated mood, asking the individual to shut up. Well, he should have stopped there, but he didn’t, and in the heat of the moment, he also called the fan, “Shut up, you f****ng f*gg*t.”

Following the match, Duran came forward to apologize for his verbal outburst. “During tonight’s game, I used a truly horrific word when responding to a fan. I feel awful knowing 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 are supposed to 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 to grow as a person.”

Jarren Duran’s outrage cast a shadow over a night that was meant to celebrate him. Earlier in the evening, before Sunday’s game, Duran was honored with the Heart and Hustle Award in a special pregame ceremony, but then, he found himself caught in this chaos. And as it seems, the repercussions of his sudden breakdown might be following Jarred.

Will Jarred Duran get suspended?

The Boston Red Sox also released a statement acknowledging the gravity of the situation, which read, “The Red Sox addressed this incident with Jarren immediately following today’s game. We echo Jarren’s apology to our fans, especially to 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.”

This isn’t the first time such an incident has happened. In 2017, outfielder Kevin Pillar was also involved in a similar controversy and was suspended by the Blue Jays for two games. In the same year, the Oakland Athletics outfielder was also suspended for a similar outburst. Although both the all-star slugger and the Red Sox have publicly apologized for this explosive outburst, the main question remains: What action will be taken against Duran?

Looking back, MLB has never shied away from taking a firm stance on players’ missteps. But as of now, there’s been no word from the Red Sox or MLB on what’s next for the 27-year-old star (UPDATE: Red Sox have just announced a 2 game suspension for Jarred Duran). As Boston’s best hitter this season, with a 291 average, 14 home runs, and 58 RBIs, Duran’s potential suspension could affect the team’s performance especially as they are all set to face the Texas Rangers tomorrow. So, will the league come down hard or take a different approach?

What do you think will happen? Drop your thoughts in the comments.