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MLB 'very proud' of how Pillar handled suspension for homophobic slur

Benny Sieu / USA TODAY Sports

With Pride Month underway and 12 teams around the league hosting Pride Night events throughout June, Billy Bean - the league's Ambassador for Inclusion (not to be confused with Oakland A's GM Billy Beane) - stopped by "MLB Now" to discuss progress and Kevin Pillar's use of a homophobic slur during a game against the Atlanta Braves on May 17.

"I was very proud of him for owning the mistake (and) making a comment publicly," Bean told Brian Kenny about the Toronto Blue Jays center fielder.

Pillar served a two-game suspension - enforced by the team - for yelling a homophobic slur at Braves reliever Jason Motte after striking out. The 28-year-old also donated his two-game salary to LGBTQ groups.

"I'm not in charge of discipline, my job is try to create a culture that is a changing of that mindset," Bean continued. "He's been an incredible leader already in reaching out to the local LGBTQ community in Toronto."

Bean, who came out as gay in 1999, was appointed to his current role in 2014 after playing in MLB from 1987-95.

"We are ambassadors to all of our communities and it's an olive branch that if you love baseball, everyone's welcome," he said. "I think a real reflection of the work that baseball is trying to do to show people what we stand for and how that is not going to be accepted."

Bean also suggested that Pillar's mistake was a learning experience, saying "I think that day, however unfortunate that moment was, that the other 749 active players learned a lesson and we all got a little bit better."

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