Red Sox, Blue Jays postpone Thursday’s game
The Red Sox will not play Thursday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays according to a joint statement from both teams.
Tonight’s game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays has been postponed. pic.twitter.com/K5YqRm9SCF
— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 27, 2020
The joint statement reads: “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 color 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.”
Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. had already planned not to play.
Earlier Thursday, manager Ron Roenicke spoke about how the team would defer to the players in deciding whether to play. Roenicke offered his support, as well as that of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and the rest of Boston’s front office.
Thursday’s game marked the final contest in a three-game road series against the Blue Jays, who are playing their home games in Buffalo as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, the Red Sox are slated to begin a three-game home series against the Washington Nationals.
The Red Sox join several teams across all professional sports leagues that have decided to sit out games following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was shot seven times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wis.
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