Pat McAfee leaves fans outraged with vulgar introduction of MLB star during Home Run Derby

Baseball fans took to social media to skewer ESPN star Pat McAfee after the former NFL punter let the vulgarity fly during the MLB Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

McAfee was tasked with introducing the participants in the competition, including the favorite to win the event - Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.

Raleigh, who leads baseball in home runs at the All-Star Break, is also known by his nickname 'Big Dumper'. He earned that nickname in the minor leagues for his rather large posterior.

McAfee, who has been known to give over-the-top introductions, decided to do the same for Raleigh live on ESPN's airwaves.

'Hailing from Cullowhee, North Carolina, a man who's doing something that no catcher has ever done in the history of the sport,' McAfee began before dropping, 'With the fattest a** in all of professional sports... Ladies and gentlemen: Big Dumper! Cal Raleigh!'

Raleigh may have embraced the nickname after some initial pushback, but for many watching on at home, McAfee's cringeworthy intro and dropping of a curse word was a step too far.

'This douche needs to go away. He is a clown,' wrote one user on X. Another shared a similar sentiment: 'And we thought this douchebag couldn't be any more cringe.' 

College basketball podcaster CurryHicksSage noted, 'I do feel like the downfall of America has coincided with Pat McAfee's rise in sports broadcasting.' 

'Why do they keep forcing this clown on us?' another fan wondered. 

Another said, 'Pat McAfee doesn't know anything about baseball and doesn't give a flying f*ck about baseball. Way to go ESPN.'

'Why is he still employed. Mcafee is awful,' wrote another account. A different person said, 'We've moved past the need for Pat McAfee being on my television every time I want to watch sports actually'.

One person replied to a clip of McAfee dropping the curse word, saying, 'Not funny. My son Jamison was watching this with me and now he won't stop saying this cuss word.'

McAfee's display of - let's say, overexuberance - isn't the first time he's attracted controversy at a live ESPN event this year.

During the NFL Draft, McAfee appeared to take out a vaporizer pen and took a puff before blowing smoke while sitting at his broadcast desk. Later, McAfee clarified that this vaporizer contained 'CBD/Vitamins' and provided 'a little altitude/attitude lift'.

As seen above, his frequent antics have led to people calling for his job - including former ESPN anchor Keith Olbermann who demanded the company fire McAfee for calling Canada a 'terrible country'.

As for 'Big Dumper' himself, Raleigh did end up winning the event - becoming the first Mariners player to do so since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1999.