Padres-Mariners Game Postponed: Players Protest Police Shooting

SAN DIEG, CA — The San Diego Padres' scheduled home game Wednesday evening against the Seattle Mariners has been postponed after the Mariners voted unanimously not to play in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The game was scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. opening pitch at Petco Park. The decision to cancel it followed the boycott of all three NBA playoff games scheduled for Wednesday, and the postponement of the Milwaukee Brewers-Cincinnati Reds game.

The Mariners' Dee Gordon tweeted the following statement Wednesday afternoon: "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."

There was no immediate official announcement from the Padres regarding the cancellation or when the game might be rescheduled.

After the Brewers and Reds postponed their game, other MLB teams began discussing similar moves, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, including the Mariners, who have the most Black players in the league.

The NBA boycott was initiated by the Milwaukee Bucks, who failed to take the court for their scheduled early afternoon game against the Orlando Magic, telling league officials they were boycotting. It soon became apparent that the rest of the NBA teams scheduled to play Wednesday would follow suit.

Blake was shot several times in the back Sunday as he tried to enter his vehicle after a confrontation with police. Authorities have not provided any information about what led to the shooting, which was captured on video.

Blake remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

— City News Service