The Boston Red Sox will follow the suit of NBA and Major League Soccer teams -- to some extent.
The Red Sox' ceremony prior to their 2020 season opener at Fenway Park on Friday will include a "social justice component," according to The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham.
Red Sox chairman Tom Werner and CEO Sam Kennedy met with players Tuesday to discuss their plans for the ceremony, per Abraham.
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The NBA and MLS have both used their platforms to call attention to issues of social and racial justice as they return to play. Boston Celtics players like Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart have used their interview sessions to call for justice for Breonna Taylor, while MLS players have knelt and raised their fists prior to matches in support of the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several San Francisco players, including Mass. native Mike Yastrzemski, took a knee Monday night during the national anthem of their exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics to protest police brutality and racial inequality in America.
Roenicke told reporters Tuesday he isn't aware of anyone on the Red Sox planning to take a knee Friday, but that he'll fully support them if they do so.
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"As far as I know, we don’t have guys that are going to take a knee," Roenicke said, via WEEI.com. "But certainly, we will join in with the other concerns and it's a very strong statement we have for this organization and how we feel about the fight on equality, so we’ll see.
"We haven’t told players you have to do anything. We’ve given them the rights which is what this country is all about and the freedom to do what they feel strongly about. So we have said what we think and what we’d like them to do but we also want to give them the opportunity to express themselves."
The Red Sox' season opener against the Baltimore Orioles is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.