Twins Fan Crosses Line as Jarren Duran Responds During Boston Loss

[Craig Arko]

I suppose if I had to choose between being soft, or being stupid, I’d pick soft.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

On 4/16/2026 at 5:42 PM, Obsvr said:

Its not right...I wouldn't say it.

BUT...

god these guys are soft.  Oh...a fan said something nasty to you?  If that's the worst thing you have to deal with as a professional athlete, then your probably doing fine.  

Heckling is part of the game and it always has been.  Do people cross the line sometimes?  Of course.  Does he need thicker skin?  YES.  

they used to throw hot pennies at outfielders in new york.  

I so desperately want to go to your place of work and throw hot pennies and insults at you.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

20 hours ago, ewen21 said:

I agree.  I would never do something like that and wouldn't appreciate it if I had to see it while at the game.  Then again, no threat was made and I have seen and heard things much more horrible than this.  Plus, Duran is the same guy who was suspended for this:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40836911/red-sox-star-jarren-duran-suspended-2-games-anti-gay-slur

 

It could very well be a fan that is gay or someone who supports PRIDE.  Doesn't make it right, but let's not make Duran a victim here.  He is not.

Victim and victimizer are not mutually exclusive. People are people, we should hold our society to account for the things that do not uphold our societal norms.

the fan was wrong for telling Duran to kill himself.

Duran was wrong for the gay slur.

both are true.

i condemn both behaviors and expect both individuals and our society at large to be better than that!

[Twinsrtheworst]

2 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I so desperately want to go to your place of work and throw hot pennies and insults at you.

I’d gladly join you.

[laloesch]

On 4/17/2026 at 12:55 PM, nicksaviking said:

Why do you presume he doesn't have thick skin? 

Everyone here is shaming an individual who absolutely deserves shaming. The only thin skin in this scenario is if the offender is sensitive and can't handle the consequences of his actions, or posters who think you should be able to say whatever you want with no repercussions.

Seems like calling someone 'thin skinned' is just code for "I don't want you to call anyone out for bad behavior". Yeah, we should just let it go, never bring it up, and these hateful people will just stop doing these things all on their own.

The only result of that is the player(s) charge into the stands and start a massive mele. Similar to what happened in the Palace years ago in 2004.   

[ewen21]

On 4/19/2026 at 9:33 AM, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I so desperately want to go to your place of work and throw hot pennies and insults at you.

What an absurd notion.  You'd engage in that behavior if you could?  I doubt poster known as "Obsvr" is a professional athlete making millions of dollars to play in front of paying customers.  When you have literal thousands watching people are going to shout at you.  Furthermore, Duran is a guy who was already suspended for having a verbal confrontation with a fan.

 

It doesn't make the fan right, but the reaction was unprofessional and childish. 

[Mike Sixel]

On the plus side, I know two more people who I need to ignore.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

10 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

What an absurd notion.  You'd engage in that behavior if you could?  I doubt poster known as "Obsvr" is a professional athlete making millions of dollars to play in front of paying customers.  When you have literal thousands watching people are going to shout at you.  Furthermore, Duran is a guy who was already suspended for having a verbal confrontation with a fan.

 

It doesn't make the fan right, but the reaction was unprofessional and childish. 

[Squirrel]

10 hours ago, ewen21 said:

What an absurd notion.  You'd engage in that behavior if you could?  I doubt poster known as "Obsvr" is a professional athlete making millions of dollars to play in front of paying customers.  When you have literal thousands watching people are going to shout at you.  Furthermore, Duran is a guy who was already suspended for having a verbal confrontation with a fan.

 

It doesn't make the fan right, but the reaction was unprofessional and childish. 

So, a paying customer has a right to say whatever, do whatever, for no consequence? Talk about an absurd notion.

Behavior should have consequences. It doesn’t matter if you are a paying customer or an athlete making millions. Don’t justify poor fan behavior by whatabouting this. And Duran was called out for his bad behavior and there were consequences. He doesn’t and didn’t get a pass for it. That doesn’t give a fan justification and a pass. 

Be a decent human, regardless.

That fan’s comments were harmful. If you don’t get that, I guess that says more about who you are as a human as anything.

[ewen21]

On 4/18/2026 at 2:26 PM, bean5302 said:

There's no justification for the heckler, but Duran needs to expect there are a-holes out there so he doesn't get to flick off an entire fan section in the hopes the heckler is the only one who sees it.

This right here.  The Twins are "investigating" the fan comment:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48496143/mlb-twins-investigating-red-sox-outfielder-jarren-duran-allegation-fan-comment

Seems as if holding Duran to some kind of professional standard in this situation is a problem here.  As if two things cannot be correct at the same time.  Like you said, "no justification for the heckler" but also Duran needs to do better.  As it is he has had a fan incident where he was suspended two games already:

https://www.mlb.com/news/jarren-duran-suspended-two-games-by-red-sox

 

My criticism of Duran isn't a defense of the fan although some people here appear to have made that leap.  Whatever.

[ewen21]

12 hours ago, Squirrel said:

So, a paying customer has a right to say whatever, do whatever, for no consequence? Talk about an absurd notion.

Behavior should have consequences. It doesn’t matter if you are a paying customer or an athlete making millions. Don’t justify poor fan behavior by whatabouting this. And Duran was called out for his bad behavior and there were consequences. He doesn’t and didn’t get a pass for it. That doesn’t give a fan justification and a pass. 

Be a decent human, regardless.

That fan’s comments were harmful. If you don’t get that, I guess that says more about who you are as a human as anything.

I know you are a moderator, but you are out of line with that bolded comment.  I do not go to ballgames to scream and yell at players and  I do not appreciate fans who do.  You mistakenly took my criticism of Duran's lack of professionalism as a defense of this kind of fan behavior and you couldn't be further from reality.  I literally made this clear in my first reaction to "Obsvr's" very unpopular post (which I saw as entirely reasonable)

[shortround81]

1 hour ago, ewen21 said:

I know you are a moderator, but you are out of line with that bolded comment.  I do not go to ballgames to scream and yell at players and  I do not appreciate fans who do.  You mistakenly took my criticism of Duran's lack of professionalism as a defense of this kind of fan behavior and you couldn't be further from reality.  I literally made this clear in my first reaction to "Obsvr's" very unpopular post (which I saw as entirely reasonable)

I love it when bullies get upset for being "bullied" when they're called out for their behavior

[ashbury]

3 hours ago, ewen21 said:

My criticism of Duran isn't a defense of the fan although some people here appear to have made that leap.  Whatever.

You have that backwards.  Duran made the gesture and was criticized.  The story that came out afterward provided balance and context to the situation.  "Defense of the fan" seems unimaginable.  Some people nevertheless find the need to pile on by repeating the criticism of Duran ad nauseam.  

[ewen21]

39 minutes ago, ashbury said:

You have that backwards.  Duran made the gesture and was criticized.  The story that came out afterward provided balance and context to the situation.  "Defense of the fan" seems unimaginable.  Some people nevertheless find the need to pile on by repeating the criticism of Duran ad nauseam.  

No, wrong.  I do not have it backwards because the context does not excuses Duran in my view.   It was not an appropriate reaction in my mind.  Period.  I also think for a grown man who is supposed to be a professional it is WEAK for him to get wound up over that particular comment. 

 

To be blunt, what I reacted to was all the negativity directed toward "Obsvr" post.  In no way did he defend the fan, nor have I.  I think the trust of what he said about Duran's reaction being soft and weak was 100% accurate.  Grow thicker skin, handle it better.  Flipping the bird at a fan for saying "go kill yourself" (clearly not meant to be taken literally) was an overreaction.

 

And again, for the third time, I am not condoning the fan.  That is what Squirrel insisted I was doing and that is entirely false.

[ewen21]

2 hours ago, shortround81 said:

I love it when bullies get upset for being "bullied" when they're called out for their behavior

I am being a bully somehow?  How?  I am taking the unpopular side of an issue here and I knew full well how this would go down.  I do not feel threatened or bullied.  Do do not understand how a grown pro-athlete blows their composure the way he did.

 

 

[shortround81]

14 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

I am being a bully somehow?  How?  I am taking the unpopular side of an issue here and I knew full well how this would go down.  I do not feel threatened or bullied.  Do do not understand how a grown pro-athlete blows their composure the way he did.

 

 

I do not understand how a grown man is blowing his composure this way over being called out over a ridiculous take on a sports message board

[shortround81]

16 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

No, wrong.  I do not have it backwards because the context does not excuses Duran in my view.   It was not an appropriate reaction in my mind.  Period.  I also think for a grown man who is supposed to be a professional it is WEAK for him to get wound up over that particular comment. 

 

To be blunt, what I reacted to was all the negativity directed toward "Obsvr" post.  In no way did he defend the fan, nor have I.  I think the trust of what he said about Duran's reaction being soft and weak was 100% accurate.  Grow thicker skin, handle it better.  Flipping the bird at a fan for saying "go kill yourself" (clearly not meant to be taken literally) was an overreaction.

 

And again, for the third time, I am not condoning the fan.  That is what Squirrel insisted I was doing and that is entirely false.

Calling a person, who has a history of attempted suicide, WEAK for reacting the way he did after a fan told him to kill himself is unconscionable. Shame on you.

[ewen21]

16 minutes ago, shortround81 said:

I do not understand how a grown man is blowing his composure this way over being called out over a ridiculous take on a sports message board

Hahaha.  Really now.  I will actually be at the game this evening.  This is fun brief little interlude in my day.  Lighten up

 

14 minutes ago, shortround81 said:

Calling a person, who has a history of attempted suicide, WEAK for reacting the way he did after a fan told him to kill himself is unconscionable. Shame on you.

I was not the one shouting that at Duran and I do not think the fan was right.  Perhaps Duran should take leave and get some psychotherapy.  His reaction wasn't that big a deal, although it was unprofessional and he needs to get over it.

[Obsvr]

The whole point is that if your playing in the Major Leagues of any sport, you're going to hear some unsavory things.  If you can't block that out, then mentally, your weak.  Some might say soft.  

That doesn't excuse the behavior of the fan, but it does say a lot about the player.  Think of what Jackie Robinson had to endure. 

That's real toughness.

Imagine folding at what some loser in the stands says to you. 

[Craig Arko]

4 hours ago, shortround81 said:

Calling a person, who has a history of attempted suicide, WEAK for reacting the way he did after a fan told him to kill himself is unconscionable. Shame on you.

I’d suggest putting the creeps on ignore and not giving them any attention.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

4 hours ago, shortround81 said:

I do not understand how a grown man is blowing his composure this way over being called out over a ridiculous take on a sports message board

Don’t make assumptions on age or gender. We welcome all Twins Fans here on TD.

[amjgt]

What I find interesting about all of this is that we, as a society that has soooooo many larger things to care about, are still so offended by the middle finger. 
 

[Mike Sixel]

3 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

I’d suggest putting the creeps on ignore and not giving them any attention.

That's what I'm doing. Stop feeding them. 

[nicksaviking]

*********Moderator Note***********

This thread has become too filled with personal attacks, and yes, it's largely due to a few shockingly tone deaf posts. A) The tone deaf posts need to stop and B) Responding to them with personal attacks isn't how we do things at Twins Daily.

[flpmagikat]

On 4/21/2026 at 6:48 PM, amjgt said:

What I find interesting about all of this is that we, as a society that has soooooo many larger things to care about, are still so offended by the middle finger. 
 

Right there with ya lol

Also suicide is really not cool to joke about and I don’t really care if people that do get that as a response. I actually think that’s a good teaching moment for the fans around on how not to act in public.