TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto Blue Jays’ Yunel Escobar faces a three-day suspension after photographs surfaced online showing the shortstop playing in a game on Saturday with a homophobic slur written in Spanish on his eye-black.

The suspension was set to begin Tuesday when the Blue Jays were to start a three-game series against the Yankees, but the opener was postponed due to rain.

Several photographs posted online showed the 29-year-old Cuban player with the phrase written in Spanish on his eye-black — stickers used by players to deflect the sun’s glare.

The words were “TU ERE MARICON,” which can be translated to a homophobic slur.  

The team announced the suspension on Tuesday after Escobar and team officials met with representatives from Major League Baseball and the Major League Players Association.

Flanked by general manager Alex Anthopoulos and manager John Farrell, Escobar apologized for his actions.

“Honestly, it’s been a terrible experience in my life and career,” Escobar said through a translator. “It’s something I’m sorry for and something I won’t do again.”

“It was just a joke,” Escobar said through the interpreter. “It was my idea but it wasn’t directed at anyone in particular.”

Escobar added that he has friends who are gay and he was embarrassed by his actions.

“It’s something that’s been said amongst Latinos, it’s not something that’s meant to be offensive,” Escobar said through the translator. “For us, it didn’t have the significance to the way it’s being interpreted right now.”

Escobar said the word is “used often within teams” and “has no meaning.”

His forfeited salary will go to You Can Play and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

You Can Play, an organization dedicated to eliminating homophobia in sports, was founded by Patrick Burke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke.

Burke told 680News that he was pleased with how the Blue Jays handled the matter.

“I think the most important thing that came out of this is that the Toronto Blue Jays, Major League Baseball and Yunel himself all said that they’re going to make sure that there is an education aspect to this.”

Burke said his organization’s focus is to “make sure that [the player] understands the meaning behind these words, the reason why they can’t use these words and the impact that these words have on the LGBT community.”

“I’ll take the education side of things 100 times out of a 100.”

Escobar will also participate in a sensitivity training program in accordance with the team and MLB.

“What came out through all of this is the lack of education,” said Anthopoulos. “It’s not just an issue in sports it’s an issue in life … It’s clear the problem isn’t going away and this is just an example of it.”

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig applauded the Blue Jays for “handling this situation appropriately and promptly” in a statement.

“I consistently say that baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and that I expect those who represent Major League Baseball to act with the kind of respect and sensitivity that the game’s diverse fan base deserves,” Selig said.

“Mr. Escobar has admitted that his actions were a mistake and I am hopeful he can use this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to educate himself and others that intolerance has no place in our game or society.”

Farrell said Escobar often writes messages on his eye-black stickers, so others in the clubhouse didn’t really notice it.

“Because it’s frequently done on his part, really no one paid attention to it,” Farrell said.

“The size of the lettering is so small that if you were to view it you’d have to be basically looking in his eyes.”

The stickers were worn during Saturday’s home game against the Boston Red Sox.
    
Escobar made his big-league debut with Atlanta in 2007 and was traded to the Blue Jays in 2010. Escobar is batting .259 this season with nine home runs and 49 RBIs.