Cubs’ Jason Heyward Decides Not to Play Wednesday Following Athlete Protests

Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward decided not to play in Wednesday's game against the Tigers, the club announced before first pitch.

Heyward and manager David Ross spoke and Heyward made a personal choice not to play. Heyward was said to have encouraged his teammates to play after he made his own decision.

Heyward's decision came after the Brewers and Reds agreed not to play their game on Wednesday in protest of police shooting 29-year-old Black man Jacob Blake on Sunday. That followed the Bucks boycotting their playoff game with the Magic, which led the NBA to postponing all three of Wednesday's playoff games.

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Cubs news and analysis.

Heyward is among many prominent athletes across the American sports landscape who spoke out in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing by Minneapolis police in May.