Mariners reviewing options after Steve Clevenger’s tweets

“BLM is pathetic once again”.

After Seattle Mariners catcher Steve Clevenger posted racially insensitive tweets Thursday regarding the ongoing protests in Charlotte, the team says it is evaluating “all internal options”. We strongly disagree with the language and the tone of his comments. In the second he calls for people involved in the Black Lives Movement to be “locked behind bars like animals”. “Keep kneeling for the Anthem!” wrote Clevenger in one tweet. On Thursday, a white police officer was charged with first-degree manslaughter in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after video emerged of her fatally shooting an unarmed black man – Terrence Crutcher – in the middle of the road. They later issued a statement attributed to Jerry Dipoto, executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations, that confirmed that the tweets came from Clevenger.

Steve Clevenger #32 of the Seattle Mariners heads back to the dugout after striking out with two runners on base to end the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Safeco Field on May 28, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. He somewhat confusingly apologized “for the distraction my tweets on my personal twitter page caused when they went public earlier today”. The statement went on to note that the team was now “examining all internal options”, but no decision was made about a potential punishment yet.

Clevenger, a 30-year-old journeyman who has spent time on the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs over parts of six seasons since 2011, has played in 22 games this year in his only season for the Mariners, batting.221 with a home run and seven RBIs in 68 at-bats.

He is now on the 60-day disabled list after fracturing his right hand in late June.

Demonstrators in Charlotte have been protesting the death of Keith Lamont Scott, a black man who was shot and killed by police.