That sure didn't take long. Jack Morris, a television analyst for the Detroit Tigers, has been suspended indefinitely by Bally Sports Detroit for using an offensive accent on air when talking about Los Angeles Angels star player Shohei Ohtani.
Bally Sports Detroit released a statement on Wednesday condemning Morris' actions, saying that his remarks were extremely disappointing. They said that the former Tigers pitcher would undergo bias training soon to make him understand the impact of his comments and for Morris to be "a positive influence in a diverse community."
Morris mimics an accent when talking about Ohtani
The issue arose in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's game between the Angels and the Tigers. Ohtani, who made history in the recent All-Star Game as the American League's starting pitcher and leadoff hitter, came up to bat during the top of the inning with Tigers announcer Matt Shepard asking Morris the question, "Now what do you do with Shohei Ohtani?"
Morris immediately blurted out a response, saying, "Be very, very careful" while mimicking an accent. The Tigers indeed were very careful with Ohtani during that bat as he was intentionally walked.
Morris' remarks quickly went viral due to their racial overtones, and he was forced to issue an apology late in the game for what he had said. Morris told viewers before the start of the ninth inning that he "did not intend for any offensive thing, and I apologize if I did." Morris then elaborated that he has the utmost respect for Ohtani and doesn't blame the pitcher for walking him.
The damage, however, was already done by then, and Bally Sports Detroit decided to suspend Morris after the game, saying in a statement that they "have a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination and deeply apologize for his insensitive remark."
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Detroit Tigers disappointed with Morris' racist remarks about Ohtani
The Detroit Tigers also issued a statement, saying that they were also deeply disappointed with Morris' comments during the broadcast and that they "take immense pride in honoring the diverse cultures that make up our players, coaching staff, front office, fan base, and community."
The Tigers then said that they fully stand by Bally Sports Detroit's decision to hand Morris a suspension to hold all of their personnel to the highest standards of personal conduct.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch also was interviewed about the incident before Wednesday's game and said, "there's no place in the game" for Morris' comments.
It will be interesting to see whether Morris can get his job back as the Detroit Tigers' TV analyst. Morris is a legend in Detroit, with the five-time All-Star pitching 14 seasons in the majors with the Tigers. The 66-year-old was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.
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