Tonight’s planned Washington Nationals game against the Philadelphia Phillies will not be played at the urging of the players, both teams confirmed in a joint statement.

“We support their decision to use their platform to call attention to the racial and social injustice that continues to exist in our country. We will continue to stand behind our players and those on the front lines working to generate accountability and real change in our society,” the statement read.

The decision was reportedly first spurred by a Phillies’ player team vote where they determined they would not take the field in protest of the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., on Sunday.

At a joint press conference with Phillies manager Joe Girardi, Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that he can tell how much of a toll this and other related incidents has taken on his players.”I hear from the players and how they struggle. There are things in this world that they can’t put aside,” he said. “It’s time to speak up. We got to speak up… this is more important to us than playing right now.”

He had similar comments after Wednesday’s night game. “People gotta understand that we are human beings, as well. We feel for everybody. Not just athletes,” Martinez said, showing emotion. “We’re first people, and we understand what’s going on and if we got a chance to make a change or try to change something, we’re going to do it.”

Both managers stated that they’ve heard from players that they hope to play tomorrow night (though, not against each other with the Nats scheduled to take on the Boston Red Sox). Particularly since Friday is MLB’s Jackie Robinson Day, the sport’s annual celebration of the man who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947.

In a similar move, last night the WNBA’s Washington Mystics (along with their opponent, the Atlanta Dream) made the decision to strike and not play their previously scheduled game.

They also wore shirts that spelled out “Jacob Blake.” On the back of the shirts were seven red-stained holes intended to signify where police shot Blake seven times.

Talking to ESPN last night, Mystics’ Ariel Atkins said, “We wanted to make everyone feel like they were supported and understanding that this isn’t just about basketball. We aren’t just basketball players. And just because we are basketball players doesn’t mean that’s our only platform. We need to understand that when most of us go home we still are Black.”

Mystic management and coaches have publicly supported this decision.

The Mystics’ are set to play Phoenix Mercury tomorrow night, but it’s currently unclear if that game will be played. Or, for that matter, the rest of the WNBA season.

Across the sports world, games are being canceled or postponed due to athletes’ continued protests and strikes. That includes tonight’s NBA playoff games and all WNBA games, and NHL playoff games. Other Major League Baseball games are also not being played tonight, including the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers game.

Strikes began last night when the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, as a team, made the decision to not take the floor for their playoff game against the Orlando Magic. Milwaukee is located 40 miles from Kenosha, where the shooting of Blake took place.

“We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand the officers be held accountable,” Bucks player George Hill said in a statement.

“For this to occur, it’s imperative for the Wisconsin state Legislature to reconvene after months of inaction and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability, brutality, and criminal justice reform.”

Throughout the summer, local sports teams have taken up social justice causes even while navigating the coronavirus pandemic. Mystic and NBA’s Washington Wizard players protested together in D.C. earlier this year.