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Arizona Diamondbacks President: Team Supports Player Protests

Published: Thursday, August 27, 2020 - 11:39am
Updated: Monday, March 22, 2021 - 12:34pm

Arizona Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall said the team fully supports its players using their platform to affect change.

Three Major League Baseball games were postponed Wednesday as players responded to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Hall told the Doug and Wolf radio program on 98.7 FM that Diamondbacks players had several conversations about what to do before their first pitch on Wednesday. The team ultimately played its game against the Colorado Rockies.

Hall said the team would have given strong consideration to anyone, be it an individual or the entire team, who chose not to play.

"It’s all about opportunity. And I think what our players are showing throughout the industry and all the sports is that they can use their voice, they could use their provenance and their celebrity to try and make an impact and a difference," he said.

Hall said decisions to strike are player-driven, but also said leagues and teams must do all they can to embrace change internally.

The Diamondbacks are scheduled to play the Rockies again Thursday afternoon.

Social Justice