Major League Baseball will require sensitivity training for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader after offensive posts surfaced from his Twitter account.
July 18 (UPI) — Major League Baseball will require sensitivity training for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader after offensive posts surfaced from his Twitter account.
The posts surfaced on Hader’s account Tuesday night during the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. Hader was making his first All-Star appearance in the game at Nationals Park in Washington, D. C. The messages included anti-gay and racist content, which Hader published as a teenager.
„During last night’s game we became aware of Mr. Hader’s unacceptable social media comments in years past and have since been in communication with the Brewers regarding our shared concerns,“ MLB said in a statement.
„After the game, Mr. Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it. The Office of the Commissioner will require sensitivity training for Mr. Hader and participation in MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.“
Hader, 24, was asked about the tweets while in the locker room immediately after the American League’s victory over Hader’s National League squad.
„You know, it was something that happened when I was 17 years old,“ Hader told reporters . „As a child, I was immature, and I obviously said some things that were inexcusable. That doesn’t reflect on who I am as a person today, and that’s just what it is.“
Brewers general manager David Stearns also issued a statement on Wednesday.
„We have been in contact with Josh and he is fully aware of the severity of the situation related to his social media comments, regardless of the timeline of his posts,“ Stearns said. „His comments are inexcusable, and he is taking full responsibility for the consequences of his actions. In no way do these sentiments reflect the views of the Brewers organization or our community.
„Those of us that have come to know Josh do not believe that these posts are representative of his beliefs. He has been a good teammate and contributor to the team in every way.“
„We will continue to work through this issue with Josh as we prepare to resume games after the break.“
Hader is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 31 games this season. He also has seven saves in his second season.
