Shohei Ohtani is taking the high road.
Tigers analyst Jack Morris found himself at the center of major controversy during the sixth inning of Tuesday’s Tigers-Angels matchup when the color analyst let loose a racist, stereotypical accent, seemingly mocking English-speaking Asians as Shohei Ohtani was stepping up to the plate.
“Be very, very careful,” Morris said of Ohtani in the accent.
Ohtani went 1-for-3 with three walks in Tuesday’s game. After the game, he was asked about Morris and offered a classy response.
“I did see the footage and I heard it on the video. Personally, I’m not offended, I didn’t take anything personally,” he said. “I have no say to what the Tigers wanted to do or what they did with him. He’s a Hall of Famer. He has a big influence in the baseball world, so it’s kind of a tough spot.”
On Wednesday, Bally Sports Detroit said that Morris was suspended indefinitely.
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Bally Sports Detroit said in a statement Wednesday that it was “extremely disappointed” with Morris’ remarks and that the former major league pitcher will undergo bias training “to educate him on the impact of his comments and how he can be a positive influence in a diverse community.”
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination and deeply apologize for his insensitive remark,” the network said.
The Tigers said in a statement that they were “deeply disappointed” with Morris’ comments.
“We fully support Bally Sports Detroit’s decision and their on-going commitment to ensure that all personnel are held to the highest standards of personal conduct,” the team said.
