Addison Russell backs off critical comments of booing Cub fans

Shortstop Addison Russell has not been warmly received by a number of Chicago Cubs fans after returning from a domestic violence suspension, and his reaction to that has not helped him much.

On Thursday, Russell told the Chicago Sun-Times that if Cubs fans “want to boo someone that’s trying to help bring the team a World Series again, then that’s on them.” That only further angered many fans, and led to Russell walking back those comments on Friday.

“Basically everyone is entitled to doing whatever they want to do, thinking whatever they want to think, saying whatever they want to say,” Russell said, via Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. “The reaction to me I feel like I have to respect that. My actions are what they are, and I have to be responsible for them.”

Russell received a fairly chilly reception upon making his season debut, and only made things worse for himself with his comments. They are, at best, tone-deaf and ignorant, and his attempt to smooth things over probably isn’t going to work.