The Miami Marlins players stood in protest before their postponed game against the New York Mets. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mets, Marlins engage in poignant 'Black Lives Matter' protest before postponed game

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 8/27/20

Members of the New York Mets and Miami Marlins joined in a poignant protest before Thursday's game at Citi Field that was ultimately postponed in the wake of athlete strikes following the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Blake, a Black man, was shot by police officers seven times in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday. He survived but was left paralyzed.

The Mets hadn't released an official lineup, and the scheduled starting pitchers for the clubs never warmed up. Two minutes before first pitch, Mets players, led by first baseman Dominic Smith and outfielder Billy Hamilton, took the field.

Players and coaches from the two teams then emerged from their dugouts and observed a moment of silence. A single baseball was left in the field, and a "Black Lives Matter" shirt was placed over home plate:

After a moment of silence, the Mets and the Marlins have left the field.

The only thing remaining on the field is a Black Lives Matter shirt. pic.twitter.com/t7QfWwofOS
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 27, 2020

pic.twitter.com/XVV1pLYNAh
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 27, 2020

The game was called off shortly after the demonstration.

Athlete protests began Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for a Game 5 matchup versus the Orlando Magic. From there, the NBA and WNBA halted play through at least Thursday night.

A majority of Wednesday Major League Soccer matches were postponed, as were handfuls of MLB contests on Wednesday and Thursday. The NHL postponed Thursday and Friday Stanley Cup Playoff fixtures.

Earlier today, a video surfaced where Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen criticized a plan for a "fake" protest allegedly suggested by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.

Van Wagenen addressed that video via a statement released minutes after the demonstration:

Breaking: Brodie Van Wagenen says in a statement that the Mets and Marlins walking off the field and playing at 8:10 p.m. was Jeff Wilpon's idea, not Rob Manfred's. pic.twitter.com/ZIq7mzLIAW
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) August 27, 2020

After the demonstration, Mets players discussed their decision to not play the game. Michael Conforto said, "Dom [Smith] is our brother, and we stand behind him."

Michael Conforto is joined by Robinson Cano, Dellin Betances, and Dom Smith to discuss the team's decision to not play tonight:

"All the players who stand up for the racial injustice, we stand behind them and that's what you saw tonight" pic.twitter.com/GWbhWcbtbP
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 27, 2020

Michael Conforto on Dom Smith's raw emotion:

"When you love a guy like him the way that his teammates do, it's a pretty powerful thing" pic.twitter.com/coyc483qQy
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 27, 2020

"We showed tonight that we're not just going to shut up and dribble or shut up and play ball, we're going to stand for what we believe in."

- @TheRealSmith2_ pic.twitter.com/ihOaV8iIrN
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 27, 2020

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