The ongoing tension between the tech world and Major League Baseball took another sharp turn today, as Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran publicly blasted Elon Musk and his platform, X (formerly Twitter), over a controversial post comparing the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.
Earlier this morning, Elon Musk ignited a social media firestorm after posting:
“The Yankees are disciplined winners. The Red Sox? Just chaos in a uniform. Fun to watch, but not built to last.”
The statement didn’t sit well with Red Sox Nation — and it absolutely didn’t sit well with Duran.
“This app is straight garbage”
In an unfiltered postgame interview, Duran didn’t mince words.
“This app is straight garbage now. Honestly, if you’re a baseball fan, just delete it. It’s full of Elon Musk nonsense and hot takes from people who don’t even watch the games.”
“I don’t care how rich he is — talking like that about my team? It’s disrespectful. This guy thinks he’s clever, but he’s just trolling for attention.”
Duran, known for his electric speed and growing leadership role in Boston’s clubhouse, took a rare public stance on the growing influence of social media in sports — and he’s not the only one in MLB circles quietly questioning Musk’s impact on the sports conversation.
Musk claps back
Never one to shy away from controversy, Elon Musk responded to Duran’s comments with a typically cryptic — and somewhat mocking — post:
“Speed on the field, slow with the facts. Calm down, Jarren. 😎”
This only further inflamed the situation, with fans of both teams — and other MLB players — jumping into the fray. Within hours, “Duran vs. Musk” was trending across X, with thousands debating whether athletes should engage in public spats with billionaires, or whether Musk should be inserting himself into the baseball discourse at all.
A deeper issue?
Some analysts suggest this incident is just the latest example of a deeper divide between players and the social media platforms that amplify off-field drama.
“Players are getting tired of being the punchline for engagement algorithms,” one media insider commented. “And when the platform owner is the one taking shots? That’s a new level.”
MLB’s response?
So far, Major League Baseball has not commented on the situation, but behind the scenes, insiders say league officials are aware of the controversy and hope it doesn’t overshadow the actual games — especially with the rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees heating up once again.
As for Duran, he stood firm on his message:
“I speak for myself, but I know I’m not alone. If you love baseball, stop giving energy to clowns with WiFi.”