Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran said his obscene gesture in Minneapolis on Tuesday night was directed at a fan who told him to kill himself.
Duran has been open about his mental health, discussing a battle with depression and a suicide attempt in a Netflix series that debuted last year.
He said the fan crossed the line with his remarks as Duran returned to the dugout at Target Field after a fifth-inning groundout in Boston’s 6-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
“Somebody just told me to kill myself,” Duran said. “I’m used to it at this point, you know? I mean, s— happens. I mean, I’m going to flip somebody off if they say something to me, but it is what it is. I shouldn’t react like that, but that kind of stuff is still kind of triggering.”
Duran, 29, could face a fine or suspension from the league for the incident. He was suspended for two games in 2024 after directing an anti-gay slur to a fan.
“Honestly, it’s my fault for talking about my mental health because I kind of brought in the haters. So I’ve just got to get used to it,” he said. “I was just trying to hold it in and not really bring that up to the team. I mean, we’re trying to win a game. I shouldn’t even bring that up to anybody. … It just happens.”
An All-Star in 2024, Duran is off to a slow start in his sixth season with the Red Sox. He is batting .182 with a homer, 10 RBIs and 16 strikeouts through 14 games.
