Yankees player takes himself out of lineup in wake of Wright shooting

A player for the New York Yankees who formerly played for the Minnesota Twins excused himself from Monday night’s game following the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Black man Daunte Wright during a police traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minn., on Sunday.

ESPN.com reported that Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that centerfielder Aaron Hicks had spoken to him and would not play in Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

“With all that’s going on in Minneapolis, he’s having a tough time right now,” Boone said, according to ESPN. “Had a conversation in my office and he just felt like it was best to not be in the starting lineup tonight. And I certainly support that, and we’ll and try to rally around him the best we can.”

“Obviously, the situation is heartbreaking right now in Minneapolis. And I think it has hit Aaron particularly hard,” he continued.

Hicks’s decision comes following a move by the Minnesota Twins to postpone Monday evening’s game against the Boston Red Sox; two NBA and NHL games set to be played Monday evening in Minneapolis were also postponed by their respective leagues.

“Out of respect for the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Brooklyn Center, and following the additional details in this evolving situation, the Minnesota Twins have decided it is in the best interest of our fans, staff, players and community to not play today’s game,” the Twins said in a statement.

“The Minnesota Twins organization extends its sympathies to the family of Daunte Wright,” the team continued.

Protesters marched in Brooklyn Center on Sunday in response to the death of Wright, who was killed by an officer who police said Monday mistakenly grabbed her gun instead of a Taser.

The city and neighboring Minneapolis were already on edge as a result of the ongoing murder trial of Derek Chauvin, a former police officer charged with the murder of a Black man, George Floyd, last year.