The Blue Jays and Red Sox did not play their scheduled game Thursday night in Buffalo, with the players choosing instead to shift their focus and voices to bringing further awareness to issues of systemic racism.

After the players and clubs agreed on Thursday’s course of action, they issued the following joint statement:

“The continued police brutality and social inequity demand immediate attention and focus from all of us -- not only Black Americans and Canadians. We fully respect the decision of our players to bring further awareness to the systemic racism that contributes to police violence against Black, Indigenous, and people of colour in our communities. We look forward to getting back on the field, and using our strongest platform, our game, to amplify our message demanding meaningful change.”

An emotional Ron Roenicke spoke following the decision.

“This is a really important time in our country. What are we going to do?” the Red Sox manager asked. “These guys have a platform to be able to discuss some things that are serious issues in our country that we need to straighten out. We know how important baseball is. We understand that, that’s why we’re playing through the pandemic that’s going on. We know it’s all important. But we know the issues in life are more important.”

Roenicke was particularly struck by speaking with Jackie Bradley Jr., saying he had tears in his eyes. Moments like this can make a difference, Roenicke said, in all of our lives, particularly youth.

“If you’re a kid and you turn on the TV tonight and you don’t see that you’re playing, and you ask your parents, ‘Why aren’t the Red Sox playing?’ I hope the parents have a serious discussion with their kids and tell them what’s going on. We need to discuss these things more. We need to listen more.”

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo asked his team to meet this afternoon and reach a decision among the players. They were willing to play the game, Montoyo said after, but when they got word that Bradley Jr. and the Red Sox did not want to, they chose to support that.

Montoyo wanted the decision to be in the hands of his players, and told them that they would have his support regardless of their decision.

“I’ve been a victim of racism,” said Montoyo. “I know some players have also been victims of racial discrimination. If a player wants to use his platform to make a statement about racial injustice, I fully support that.”

This decision comes as other players and clubs around Major League Baseball decided to sit out Thursday’s games. On Wednesday, three MLB games were postponed as clubs chose not to play, while the NBA playoffs were postponed after teams refused to take the floor, beginning with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Thursday was scheduled to be the final game of the three-game series between the Blue Jays and Red Sox. The two clubs have one series remaining this season, from Sept. 3-6 in Boston, which should allow them to make up Thursday’s game as part of a doubleheader, though no official scheduling plans have been made.