FILE – This Tuesday, April 28, 2020, stock photo, a darkened Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of the National League of Baseball, is empty. (AP Photo / Ross D. Franklin, File)
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Thursday game against the Colorado Rockies has been postponed.
“After reflecting and meeting as a group, Rockies players have decided not to play today against the Arizona Diamondbacks, standing in solidarity with athletes and sports teams against social injustice,” the Rockies announced on Twitter.
The D-backs retweeted it, adding, “We stand with our brothers at the Rockies.”
“This is a moment about being together, about being in unison,” reliever Archie Bradley said. “It simply came to our notice then. It’s about supporting a decision not to play to bring awareness to issues we think are going on. … We were ready to play, but we were also ready to not play so well. ”
Bradley said the team had already decided to donate a game check from each player to a group where they all agreed. They had not made a final decision on what the organization that received the donation would be. The D-backs also plan to wear black jerseys for the rest of the home.
The proposal follows other teams in the sports world that have done the same. The Brewers were the first MLB team to decide not to take the field in protest of the shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the team’s home state of Wisconsin. Other MLB games were ready, were underway or just at the beginning when the Brewers’ decision was announced.
“It simply came to our notice then. Which message does not send play? Is that the right thing to do? Play, if not play? But in the end, it was a joint decision, ‘said Bradley. “It was an emotional conversation. There were many things brought between the two sides today which, as I said earlier, are, in my opinion, difficult conversations. They are uncomfortable. They are uncomfortable.
“But they are pushing the needle in the right direction and causing people to open their minds and be aware of what is happening. Ultimately, it’s the thing that sport is no bigger than what happens. ”
The Milwaukee Bucks suspended the move Wednesday night when they boycotted their playoff game against the Orlando Magic. Finally, the NBA slot game was postponed to Wednesday. Thursday’s NBA games would also not be played as planned, although players voted to continue the season at some point.
Also scheduled Thursday: Oakland in Texas, Philadelphia in Washington, Minnesota in Detroit, Baltimore at Tampa Bay and Boston at the Blue Jays in Buffalo, New York.
Three games that were not played on Wednesday would be set for Thursday as part of double heads. These games will be between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.
The Diamondbacks’ Thursday game was the final of a series of four games against the Rockies at Chase Field. A home game of three games against the Giants is scheduled to begin Friday. Arizona is free on Monday, but the Rockies will be in Denver that day to play the Padres.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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