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Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran was restrained from going after a fan during a Sunday meeting with the Cleveland Guardians. The heckler reportedly crossed the line with his trash talk.
Play was briefly paused amid the shouting match before cooler heads eventually prevailed. The fan was escorted out of the stadium after the fact.
Duran is playing his fifth season in the MLB. The former Long Beach State star has thrived with the Red Sox since being called up in 2021. Last season was by far his best.
The outfielder led the American League in doubles and triples while racking up 21 homers and 34 stolen bases. He earned his first All-Star appearance as a result. That production came after a breakthrough year in ’23 when he hit .295 across 332 at-bats.
While he’s come into his own as a player the last three seasons, it hasn’t always been easy. In his limited rookie stint, he hit .215 with more strikeouts than hits. It was more of the same in Year 2.
Jarren Duran experienced one of his darkest moments in that 2022 season. He opened up on a suicide attempt during a Netflix docuseries focused on the franchise.
“I was already hearing it from fans, and what they said to me, [it was like], ‘I’ve told myself 10 times worse in the mirror.’ That was a really tough time for me. I didn’t even want to be here anymore…
“I got to a point where I was just sitting in my room, I had my rifle, and I had a bullet, and I pulled the trigger, and the gun clicked but nothing happened… I seriously don’t know why it didn’t go off.”
-Jarren Duran on attempted suicide
A heckler referenced Jarren Duran’s past on Sunday.
The insult sparked a verbal altercation as Duran left the playing field. He was eventually restrained by players and officials before things escalated further.
My take…
1) The fan that abused Jarren Duran in relation to his suicide attempt, is the lowest of lows.
2) Huge kudos to the countless Guardians fans who turned this clown in when security approached.
3) I do not blame Duran, at all, for calling the fan out and biting back. pic.twitter.com/KMME3Gsn9y
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) April 27, 2025
Cleveland announcers confirmed that the suicide reference was the cause of the spat. The heckler received immediate backlash for his commentary before being asked to leave the venue.
Duran is not new to fan interactions. He received negative attention after being caught on a hot mic yelling a homophobic slur last August.
In this instance, he was the victim of a verbal attack. The Guardians are evaluating potential punishment for the fan.
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.
-Cleveland Guardians
The despicable insult wouldn’t affect Jarren Duran’s play. He went 4-6 from the dish with an RBI. The Red Sox won the game, 13-3.