Show of unity: Clubs support social justice

Opening Day, Part II culminated on Friday with more support of social justice during poignant pregame ceremonies that took place across 13 ballparks to complete the official start to the 2020 season.

Baseball fans were first introduced to the moving planned ceremonies implemented by the four teams that opened the season a day earlier -- the Yankees and Nationals; the Giants and Dodgers. Similar protocol was in place when the remainder of the teams opened their seasons Friday -- a Black Lives Matter video compiled by the Players Alliance ran on the scoreboard, followed by a narration emphasizing a call for empathy and progress by actor Morgan Freeman.

Players and coaches from both teams then lined up down each baseline holding a 200-yard black cloth in a show of unity -- an idea hatched by outfielder Andrew McCutchen -- and engaged in a prolonged moment of silence.

At that point, most, but not all, uniformed personnel kneeled, and then stood for the playing of the national anthem.

Some opted to continue kneeling during the anthem. In St. Petersburg, two Blue Jays -- Anthony Alford and Santiago Espinal -- stayed down on a knee for the Canadian anthem, and when the United States anthem began playing, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio joined them. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. placed a hand on Guerrero and Rowdy Tellez placed his on Alford.

Biggio said before the game that he didn’t show up expecting to kneel. His locker is next to Alford, who wanted to kneel, but Biggio recognized Alford was hesitant to draw attention as an up-and-down player. He asked Alford: “If I did it, would you feel more comfortable doing it?”

In Houston, six Mariners players raised their right fists while standing during the national anthem. The Mariners’ roster includes nine Black players, the most African Americans on any 30-man roster in the Major Leagues.

Center fielder Kyle Lewis, shortstop J.P. Crawford, second baseman Shed Long Jr., right fielder Mallex Smith, second baseman Dee Gordon and left-hander Justus Sheffield stood side by side in the Mariners’ line of players and raised their fists.

In Chicago, eight White Sox players and coaches knelt during the anthem prior to their game with the Twins. Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, Edwin Encarnación, Eloy Jiménez, Luis Robert, bench coach Joe McEwing, first-base coach Daryl Boston and starting pitcher Lucas Giolito in the bullpen took a knee during the anthem.

The Twins, who play in the city where George Floyd was killed by a police officer on May 25 -- a tragedy that sparked a nation-wide reckoning and a passionate call for social reform -- also took action during the pregame events. Seven members of the roster, plus manager Rocco Baldelli and two coaches, knelt during the anthem. The group included bench coach Mike Bell, first-base coach Tommy Watkins and players Byron Buxton, LaMonte Wade Jr.ok, Trevor May, Taylor Rogers, Sergio Romo, Tyler Duffey and Aaron Whitefield. Hitting coach Edgar Varela stood at Watkins’ side with a hand on Watkins’ shoulder.

"This hasn’t been just a conversation this week for our guys," Baldelli said before the game. "We’ve had a lot of active participants in that conversation. This conversation means an incredible amount to a number of our guys. I would say that both the Twins and in our clubhouse ... we support every one of our players and our staff in every way. Our guys are there for each other.”

In Pittsburgh, after Jarrod Dyson took a knee during the anthem, manager Derek Shelton walked over to stand next to him.

In Arlington, the Rangers circulated a video on their website and social media hours ahead of first pitch, informing fans and the community that they are “united for change.” Players, coaches and manager Chris Woodward made the video, which addressed the issue of racial injustice in the country, and what they can do to bring about change.

What started as a conversation between McCutchen and his wife, Maria, came to fruition on Thursday and Friday nights with a meaningful demonstration across baseball on its much-anticipated return to action.

“It’s everyone linking together, unified, and standing for each other,” McCutchen said. “Having a moment for us as baseball players, which is separate from Major League Baseball, which is separate from the anthem. This is for us having a moment for us that links our unity together.”