Cincinnati Reds players Joey Votto, Amir Garrett, Phillip Ervin and Alex Blandino knelt during the national anthem before Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ballpark.
The four players lined up together along the first-base line, as other teammates stood beside them and showed their support. Mike Moustakas put his left hand on Ervin’s shoulder. Cody Reed put his hand on Garrett’s shoulder, and Sal Romano put his hand on Blandino’s back.
Votto, Garrett, Ervin and Moustakas were among several Reds players who wore Black Lives Matter shirts during camp.
The Reds players took a knee one day after several members of the San Francisco Giants, including manager Gabe Kapler, knelt during the anthem before the team’s 6-2 exhibition win at the Oakland Athletics.
Also Monday, Los Angeles Angels reliever Keynan Middleton, who is Black, kneeled and raised his right fist during the national anthem before the Angels’ 1-0 victory over the Padres in San Diego.
Middleton later posted on Twitter, “Until things start to change in this country and my brothers and sisters don’t have to live in fear, I will be using my platform to implement change.”