The New York Mets took the field to start Thursday night’s series finale against the Miami Marlins, but then proceeded to walk right off before a pitch was thrown.
At approximately 7:10 p.m. ET, the Mets took the field and before Marlins lead-off batter Lewis Brinson took the box, both teams came out of their dugout, took off their caps, observed a moment of silence for 42 seconds, and then exited the field.
As they did, a Black Lives Matter t-shirt was draped over home plate.
The team decided to exit the field as a form of protest, joining countless other major professional American sports teams that have opted to sit out on Thursday (and Friday) as a way to advance the conversation of police brutality against Black Americans while guaranteeing social equality.
There had been uncertainty brewing around whether or not the Mets would actually play on Thursday night, but no official word was ever relayed. While the Marlins released a starting lineup, the Mets did not. Neither of the slated starting pitchers warmed up, either.
Additional drama originated from a leaked video of Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen showed him speaking about Mets COO Jeff Wilpon and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s discussion in which they tabled the idea of leaving the field at first pitch before returning to play an hour later.
The Mets and Marlins will not return to the field, however, on Thursday night.
