ESPN’s Karl Ravech created an awkward moment during the network’s Sunday Night Baseball telecast when he asked Red Sox infielder Triston Casas about his deceased mother.
Casas lost his mother when he was nine years old.
The awkward moment happened during Boston’s 9-1 loss to the St.Louis Cardinals.
“I know your mom passed away when you were young,” Ravech awkwardly said to the mic ‘d-up Boston infielder who was playing at the time.
“What does Mother’s Day mean to you and your brother?” Casas’ brother is a first baseman for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Casas clearly became emotional as soon as Ravech asked the question.
“Yeah, uh – what happened was obviously unfortunate for me,” Casas responded.
“But I have had so many mother figures in my life. Whether they have my last name or whether they don’t, I have so much support from everyone in and around my circle that I don’t even feel like I missed out on anything.”
Casas continued, “I know she’s watching me everyday, I know she’s smiling, proud of me, but for the most part, I think I’ve been alight.”
Casas and his brother are 23 and 22 years old, respectively. One has to ask why ESPN would bring up this painful memory, especially during the game. When an emotionally compromised Casas could have needed to make a play and, you know…do his job. Having players mic’d up and doing interviews during a game is crazy enough. The least the networks could do in exchange for this kind of incredible access is to not mess up the player’s heads with extremely personal and emotional questions while they’re trying to do their jobs.
That is a bad look for ESPN.