Josh Hader is far from alone, it appears.
Two more Major League Baseball players came forward Sunday to apologize after racist and homophobic tweets they made several years ago resurfaced on Twitter.
First up was Atlanta Braves starter Sean Newcomb, who came within one out of pitching a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. As the 25-year-old generated buzz over his brilliant outing, a Twitter user posted screenshots of several of Newcomb’s old tweets that included foul, derogatory language.
One of the tweets quoted a Lil’ Wayne song lyric, while the others contained homophobic slurs.
Another user also dug up a string of Newcomb’s tweets featuring the same homophobic slur.
Newcomb’s tweets were from 2011 and 2012, when he was an 18-year-old senior at Middleborough (Mass.) High School. Newcomb, who since has deactivated his Twitter account, addressed the tweets after Sunday’s game.
“I definitely regret it, for sure,” Newcomb said, via CBS News. “I just wanted to apologize for any insensitive material … it was a long time ago, six or seven years ago, saying some stupid stuff with friends.”
“I know I’ve grown a lot since then. I didn’t mean anything by it. It was just something stupid I did a long time ago and I didn’t mean anything by it, for sure.”
Later Sunday night, other Twitter users captured what appeared to be screenshots of old tweets from Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner. Like Newcomb’s tweets, Turner’s tweets included homophobic slurs and highly offensive language.
Turner’s tweets were from a similar timeframe in 2011 and 2012, when he was a senior in high school. The 25-year-old, whose Twitter account still is active, admitted ownership of the tweets in a statement issued late Sunday night via the Nationals.
“There are no excuses for my insensitive and offensive language on Twitter,” Turner 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.”
Newcomb and Turner’s tweets resurfacing come just over a week after Hader, a relief pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, was exposed during the MLB All-Star Game for several insensitive tweets he made during high school.
