Mets and Marlins Walk Off the Field in Protest; Game Postponed

(Bloomberg) -- The New York Mets and Miami Marlins took the field Thursday to play the final game of their scheduled Citi Field series. Instead, the teams walked off the field after a 42-second moment of silence.

The game has since been postponed. According to a statement from Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen, the players voted earlier in the day to not play the game.

Van Wagenen was caught on video earlier in the day criticizing Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for suggesting that players walk off the field and delay the start of the game. The general manager apologized in his statement, saying the idea actually originated with Jeff Wilpon, the team’s chief operating officer and son of owner Fred Wilpon.

Athletes across the world of professional sports have been skipping games to protest police shootings and racial inequality, led by National Basketball Association players earlier this week. NBA players voted to continue the remainder of their playoffs after taking Thursday off.

Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, is expected to be honored by the league tomorrow. He wore No. 42.

Manfred said on Thursday evening that he supported clubs who have decided not to play games.

“I have said both publicly and privately that I respect those decisions and support the need to address social injustice,” he said in a statement. “I have not attempted in any way to prevent players from expressing themselves by not playing, nor have I suggested any alternative form of protest to any club personnel or any player. Any suggestion to the contrary is wrong.”

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