The Mariners have the greatest representation of Black players in MLB with 11 on the club's 40-man roster. Eight of them were on the 28-man active roster that was scheduled to play the Padres in San Diego on Wednesday night.
They and their teammates chose to boycott the game instead.
MORE: NBA teams postpone games after Bucks stage boycott
Seattle and San Diego took the night off to show solidarity with NBA players who earlier boycotted playoff games to protest the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake, in Wisconsin.
After the game was postponed, Seattle players J.P. Crawford, Justin Dunn, Aaron Fletcher, Dee Gordon, Shed Long, Justus Sheffield and Taijuan Walker spoke out on Twitter:
Enough is enough https://t.co/QG59iTSUTf
— jp crawford (@jp_crawford) August 27, 2020
Enough is enough ✊🏾
— Justin Dunn (@Dunn_Deal19) August 26, 2020
•#BLM pic.twitter.com/OL8sTzjW84
It’s refreshing to be apart of a group of guys that are willing to have these hard conversations. To realize the only real way to create change is to have these tough discussions, learn something you may not have before, then act.
— Aaron Fletcher (@Fletch_52) August 27, 2020
There are serious issues in this country. For me, and for many of my teammates, the injustices, violence, death and systemic racism is deeply personal. This is impacting not only my community, but very directly my family and friends. Our team voted unanimously not to play tonight
— Dee Gordon (@FlashGJr) August 26, 2020
Enough is enough pic.twitter.com/Rhs0hbLVMN
— Shed Long Jr. (@SLONG895) August 26, 2020
I love every single one of my guys, so proud to be apart of this group! @Mariners
— Justus Sheffield (@Topsheff42) August 27, 2020
✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 https://t.co/cnuxwogI6E
— Taijuan Walker (@tai_walker) August 26, 2020
Other Black MLB players posted on social media, including the Rockies' Matt Kemp, who sat out his team's game against the Diamondbacks.
Tonight I stand with my fellow professional athletes in protest of the injustices my people continue to suffer. I could not play this game I love so much tonight knowing the hurt and anguish my people continue to… https://t.co/nxUt02S64v
— Matt Kemp (@TheRealMattKemp) August 26, 2020
Ending police brutality is more important than sports
— Cole Tucker (@cotuck) August 26, 2020
✊🏽🖤
— Jack Flaherty (@Jack9Flaherty) August 26, 2020
The Brewers and Reds decided earlier Wednesday to boycott their game in Milwaukee, and the Dodgers decided to join the Giants in not playing their game in San Francisco.
