#Yankees minor leaguers ask team for statement: ‘Be with us’

Amid protests across several professional sports including their own, the Yankees played a doubleheader on Wednesday, and now two of their own minor leaguers are calling on them to take a stand.

Chris Gittens and Canaan Smith-Njigba are asking the Yankees, off on Thursday, to do something following the shooting in the back of African-American man Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wisc. on Sunday.

On Wednesday, three NBA games weren’t played after the Bucks boycotted their playoff contest. It led to three MLB games not being played, no WNBA games being played and five MLS games being postponed. That leaked into Thursday, with four baseball games already being postponed and the NBA continuing to postpone the postseason, though players agreed they would resume in the next few days.

“Really need my team to make a statement,” Gittens, a black first basemen tweeted. “You have guys in your organization that needs to see that you are with us and not about money!!! Don’t stay silent!!!! #BLM.”

Smith-Njigba, also black, quote-tweeted him and wrote: “@Yankees be with us.”

The Yankees are scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Mets on Friday to kick off a five-game series over the weekend. The Mets played their game on Wednesday night against the Marlins and are scheduled to face Miami again Thursday night at Citi Field.