When it comes to homophobic and racially insensitive tweets, Major League Baseball just had its third strike.
In the wake of pitcher Josh Hader’s apologizing for offensive tweets that surfaced during the All-Star Game and hurler Sean Newcomb having to apologize for the same transgression, Nationals shortstop Trea Turner issued an apology of his own Sunday for tweets that he wrote in 2011 and 2012.
The tweets, which included a gay slur and a joke with racist undertones, were discovered and posted by the same Twitter user who found Newcomb’s old tweets.
After the Nats lost to the lowly Miami Marlins on Sunday, Turner apologized later that night.
“There are no excuses for my insensitive and offensive language on Twitter,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for those tweets and apologize wholeheartedly. I believe people who know me understand those regrettable actions do not reflect my values or who I am. But I understand the hurtful nature of such language and am sorry to have brought any negative light to the Nationals organization, myself or the game I love.”
Billy Bean, MLB’s vice president for social responsibility and inclusion, is already planning on meeting with Newcomb about his tweets and now will likely talk with Turner as well.
Following his tweets, Hader was ordered to undergo sensitivity training and participate in diversity and inclusion initiatives. Now it appears likely Newcomb and Turner will join him.
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