Matt Joyce of the Oakland Athletics was overheard using an anti-gay slur in an angry exchange with a boorish fan after being robbed of a base hit during Friday’s 8-6 loss to the Angels. Now Major League Baseball has suspended Joyce for two games following the incident.
Joyce took to Twitter Saturday night to supplement comments he made immediately after the game, and offered a more specific apology:
Joyce is also quoted on the team’s website expressing regret and embarrassment for his choice of words:
“I let the emotions and frustrations really get the better of me there,” Joyce said. “Obviously said some words that should never be said. There’s no excuse, no good excuse for that kind of language to be said and ever used.”
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“It kind of comes with the territory,” Joyce said. “There’s no tolerance for that with baseball and obviously with the Oakland A’s and the great community that we have in the Bay Area. It’s embarrassing to me and my family. I was raised a lot better.”
Joyce will reportedly participate in an outreach program with PFLAG, a “family and ally organization” supporting the LGBTQ community.