LEADING OFF: Racial justice protests reverberate through MLB

A look at what’s happening around the majors Thursday:

PLAYER PROTESTS

After three games were called off while players used their platform to call attention to racial injustice, the question is whether more postponements or a wider boycott in baseball are possible.

Three games that weren't played Wednesday were expected to be made up as part of doubleheaders on Thursday. Those games will be between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

The Brewers were the first team to decide not to take the field as a protest over the shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the team's home state of Wisconsin. Other MLB games had finished, were in progress or just about to start as the Brewers' decision was announced.

Braves star Freddie Freeman said he expected his team would discuss the boycotts during its off day. Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez, in emotional postgame remarks, said he would talk to his players about how to proceed amid a pause in play by teams and players in several sports including basketball, soccer and tennis.

“I’m proud of the NBA. I’m proud of all the people who stand for justice. You know the way I feel about all this stuff. It’s horrible,” Martinez said. “We need change. We’re people. We have to come up with some kind of conclusion because this is bad. I’m going to talk to the players. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

JUDGE HURT AGAIN

Aaron Judge's return was brief for the hurting New York Yankees, who lave lost five straight.

Judge was activated from the injured list Tuesday after battling a strained right calf and was in the lineup in the second game of a doubleheader against the Braves. He went 1-for-3 and left in...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Racial-justice-protests-reverberate-15518014.php