Warning: Story contains coarse language
Reggie Jackson was incredibly candid when asked about Giancarlo Stanton's quadriceps injury on live radio, but he had a good reason for his vulgar honesty - he thought he wasn't on-air.
Appearing on MLB Network Radio with Jim Bowden, Ryan Spilborghs, and Mike Stanton, Mr. October dropped multiple F-bombs while discussing Stanton's absence from the New York Yankees' lineup for Game 2 of the ALCS.
After Bowden asked for Jackson's thoughts on Stanton's quad, Jackson replied, "Fuck, he's been out all fucking year. How the fuck could he be hurt?" before laughing and asking, "This isn't on-air, is it?" according to Awful Announcing.
After being informed the show was, indeed, live on-air, Jackson seemed to say "tell me first," before the show cut to a commercial break.
Later, Jackson reached out to Yankees staff to apologize to the slugger.
"I immediately spoke to (Yankees media relations vice president) Jason Zillo and he advised I go in and talk to Stanton, which I did," the Hall of Famer told Randy Miller of NJ.com. "I'd just spent several days with him during his rehab (from a knee injury) and he graciously accept my faux paux. Please know this was said to belittle the question, not with intent or malice."
Stanton, 29, was held out of the lineup for all but 18 games this year, spending time on the injured list with a left biceps strain and a right knee sprain. The severity of his latest injury is not yet clear.
