SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Wednesday's matchup between the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners has been postponed as teams across sports opt not to play in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Players from both teams met ahead of the game to discuss sitting out in a strike that quickly spread through baseball and basketball on Wednesday. Mariners players voted not to play, and San Diego agreed, according to multiple media reports.
A statement from the Padres read, "We understand the Mariners decision to postpone tonight’s game and we support the players’ efforts to use their platform to bring awareness to the very serious issue of racial injustice impacting our country today."
Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon said later on Twitter:
"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," Gordon tweeted. "Instead of watching us, we hope people will focus on the things more important than sports that are happening."
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
The team also published a statement, reading, "The Seattle Mariners respect the team's decision to not play tonight's game. The Seattle Mariners stand with our players as they speak out with their words and actions against social injustice. #BlackLivesMatter."
The Padres and Mariners were scheduled to make up Wednesday's game on Thursday as part of a doubleheader. There is no word on if the teams will play on Thursday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants also postponed their game Wednesday.
"Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake, we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight. Major League Baseball remains united for change in our society and we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice," a statement from Major League Baseball read.
RELATED: Several MLB teams postpone games amid NBA players protest, reports say
The news comes after the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds chose not to play hours before first pitch, joining several NBA teams that announced they were sitting out of playoff games after the shooting.
The NBA has postponed all playoff games scheduled Wednesday night.
Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot from behind seven times by a police officer on Aug. 23 in Kenosha, Wisc. Officers have not said what led up to the shooting, but video captured from a neighbor showed Blake walking to an SUV and attempting to enter it moments before an officer grabs him by the shirt and shoots him.
Local authorities said the officers were responding to the area for a reported "domestic incident."
Blake’s three young boys were in the car at the time. His family says Blake’s eight-year-old son was celebrating his birthday over the weekend.
