Yankees, Mets managers will back a player's decision to kneel during national anthem
Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on against the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium on Monday, July 20, 2020. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It is not yet clear whether any Yankees or Mets will follow the lead of several Giants players — and manager Gabe Kapler — who took a knee during the national anthem before an exhibition game on Monday night.
But when asked about it on Tuesday, both New York teams’ managers said they will back any players who choose to make such a statement.
“I’m supportive of that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “This country allows you to express yourself in many different ways, and that’s one of the beauties of it.
“So I respect how anyone wants to demonstrate, whether it’s in protest or whether it’s in solidarity. Whatever the reasons may be, I have no issue with that and support that, and if that comes our way as a club, I’ll stand behind whoever has a strong feeling about it one way or the other.”
Boone said the team will discuss its plans once it arrives in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, “and we’ll see where it leads.”
Mets manager Luis Rojas said, “We haven’t really had any conversations about the matter yet, but I’m always here supporting the guys. Whatever the guys are having, their beliefs, different things, different topics that are out there in the world, I’m always supportive of the guys in the clubhouse.”
Mets manager Luis Rojas walks in from the outfield before an MLB exhibition game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, July 19, 2020. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Asked if he has given thought to kneeling himself, Rojas said, “No, I haven’t gotten there yet.”
Kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality became a volatile issue for the NFL in 2016 and ’17, when 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began doing so.
President Donald Trump was sharply critical of the NFL at the time. After the Giants' demonstration on Monday, he tweeted, “The game is over for me!”
MLB tweeted video of what the Giants did and expressed its support, but early Tuesday morning, #BoycottMLB began trending on Twitter.
“It’s everybody's choice what they do,” Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom said. “I respect the decisions of what people decide to do and I think that's the beauty of this country. I respect my teammates. Those guys are like family.
“You're around them a lot and I respect all their decisions.”
Said the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, “That’s the beauty of America, is freedom of speech and freedom to express yourself. We’ve got a special platform being athletes and being able to speak our mind and speak what’s going on in this world.
“I think whatever message that we try to give out here, we want to try to express unity and that we’re all in this together.”
The Yankees’ Luke Voit said, “I respect [the Giants]. It’s an ongoing conversation that we have to have as players. We all have a voice and we need to step up because this country’s been in a weird place.
“But then I also have my brother in the military. I want to honor those who have sacrificed their lives, too, and I want to honor my brother, too. So it’s a little different. But I get it. And we need change, and I hope it’s doing something that can better this world.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
