Detroit Tigers analyst Jack Morris apologizes for racist comment about Shohei Ohtani

Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer and Bally Sports Detroit game analyst Jack Morris apologized during the ninth inning of Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels for making an offensive comment earlier in the telecast. 

In the sixth inning, Tigers pitcher Joe Jimenez struck out Juan Lagares, setting up a two-out, runner-on-second scenario for Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani. 

Tigers play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard asked Morris, who won 254 games in his 18-year major league career, what the strategy should be against Ohtani. 

Morris replied: "Be very, very careful," but in an apparent tone that has long been used to mock English-speaking Asians. 

In the ninth inning, with Ohtani coming up to bat again, Morris issued an on-air apology:

All things Tigers: Latest Detroit Tigers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

"It's been brought to my attention, and I sincerely apologize if I offended anybody, especially anybody in the Asian community, for what I said about pitching and being careful to Shohei Ohtani. I did not intend for any offensive thing and I apologize if I did. I certainly respect and have the utmost respect for this guy."

The Detroit Free Press reached out to the Tigers and Bally Sports Detroit for comment on Morris, but those requests were not immediately answered. 

Morris has been working as a TV analyst since 2013 and has been covering the Tigers since 2015. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Modern Era Committee in 2018.

In 1990, Morris' final season playing for the Tigers, he made a sexist comment to a Free Press intern. As Jennifer Frey approached Morris after a game to ask a question in the Tiger Stadium clubhouse, Morris said: "I don’t talk to people when I’m naked, especially women, unless they’re on top of me or I’m on top of them.” Morris has since apologized for those remarks. 

Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.