© Elise Amendola / AP

Ron Darling may be in hot water after a boneheaded comment during the TBS broadcast of Game 2 of the American League Division Series Saturday night.

With Masahiro Tanaka on the mound in the fourth inning, Darling referenced the right-hander losing his command and used a racial slur.

“Chink in the armor for Tanaka here,” Darling said. “It’s the first inning he has lost a little of his control.”

Darling did not appear to realize that he had used the slur in reference to Tanaka, who is Asian.

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That same phrase has gotten members of the media into trouble before, most infamously with the ESPN headline writer who used it in reference to Jeremy Lin after the then Knicks guard had nine turnovers in a game amid what had been a torrid stretch.

The headline writer, Anthony Federico, was fired by ESPN and sincerely regretted his mistake at the time.

"This had nothing to do with me being cute or punny," he told the Daily News at the time. "I'm so sorry that I offended people. I'm so sorry if I offended Jeremy."

An ESPN anchor, Max Bretos, was also fired shortly after because it was discovered he had used the same phrase on a broadcast.

Lin was gracious in his response to that controversy back in 2012, saying that the public apologies were enough.

NBA player JJ Redick was also vilified earlier this year when he used the taboo word in a video celebrating Chinese New Year.

“Clearly I was tongue tied, as the word I purportedly said is not in my vocabulary. I’m disappointed that anyone would think I would use that word,” Redick said in response.

Darling, similarly, likely wasn’t thinking when he used the slur on the playoff broadcast, but the phrase is one that really needs to be retired from people’s vocabulary.

Related slideshow: 2018 MLB playoffs (Provided by photo services)