Major League Baseball said Tuesday it will investigate claims of racial discrimination in the Seattle Mariners organization made by a former employee on Monday.
“MLB is aware of the allegations made by a former employee of the Seattle Mariners regarding the conduct of Club employees. Consistent with our policies, we are investigating the allegations,” the league said in a statement given to The Athletic.
The Mariners on Monday denied the claims of racial discrimination made on social media by Lorena Martin, the team’s former director of high performance.
The team said in a statement that Martin was fired last month, on Oct. 10. The team did not give a reason for her termination. The Mariners said in their statement that Martin didn’t “make any of these false allegations” until after her termination.
Martin, however, responded on Twitter that she “had reported many other discriminatory incidences to HR and other Mariners staff members throughout the season,” she said.
Earlier Monday, Martin made allegations in an Instagram post that general manager Jerry DiPoto, manager Scott Servais and director of player development Andy McKay have called Latino players, especially those from the Dominican Republic, “dumb” and “stupid.”
She said she decided to “speak out because they are firing innocent trainers for trying to do the right thing and because of their color/race.”
Martin related some of the specific incidents in a Monday night interview with The News Tribune. Martin said when she balked at some of her responsibilities being handed to McKay, DiPoto said, “You know what you are? You’re a cocky Latina.” When she defended herself, she said McKay told her, “Well, you know, sometimes you’re just plain stupid.”
She also told The News Tribune that Servais told her that you don’t see Latino managers or catchers because “they aren’t bright enough. They are dumb.” She also noted that Servais told her the reason she could not sit in on a staff meeting with players to discuss families was “honestly, it’s because you’re a woman.”