Mookie Betts anthem protest: Dodgers star kneels during national anthem on Opening Night (video)

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts took a knee during the national anthem before Los Angeles’ season opener against the Giants on Thursday night. Two teammates — Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy — each put a hand on Betts’ shoulder while he kneeled.

Betts, who was traded from the Red Sox to the Dodgers in February and signed a 12-year extension with Los Angeles on Wednesday, was the only member of the Dodgers to kneel in protest. Multiple members of the Giants, including manager Gabe Kapler and Mike Yastrzemski, continued the protests they started earlier in the week before exhibition games against the Athletics.

In June, Betts and a group of other prominent Black baseball players appeared in a video supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Earlier this month, he criticized Major League Baseball for its response to the nationwide protests that happened in the wake of George Floyd’s death in late May.

“I think baseball did not do a good job with that but I think voices were heard,” he said. “I think that’s the main thing, that we get our voices heard to make some changes. I know it’s not going to be all at one time. A little change here, a little change there and eventually we’ll get to where we need to be.”

Multiple players across baseball, including Cincinnati’s Amir Garrett and Joey Votto, have kneeled to protest social injustice and police brutality this week. Earlier this week, Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said he did not believe any players were planning on kneeling this season but vowed support for any type of demonstrations.

“We haven’t told players you have to do anything,” Roenicke said. “We’ve given them the rights, which is what this country is all about, and the freedom to do what they feel strongly about. We have said what we think and what we would like them to do, but we have also given them the opportunity to express themselves.

“This organization is okay with it,” he continued. “If they want to take a knee, they can take a knee. I don’t know that anybody’s going to do that, but if they want to, we support them in whatever they want to do.”

Former Red Sox manager Alex Cora tweeted at Betts, telling him he was proud of him for protesting.

Related links:

Jackie Bradley Jr., Mookie Betts, David Price join other MLB stars in ‘Black Lives Matter’ video: ‘You have cheered for us but we need to you cheer with us now’

Mookie Betts, ex Boston Red Sox star, criticizes MLB for coronavirus testing delays, response to ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement

Boston Red Sox don’t anticipate national anthem protests but vow to support players who kneel: ‘If they want to take a knee, they can take a knee’

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