Steve Clevenger apologizes for anti-Black Lives Matter tweets

Seattle Mariners catcher Steve Clevenger released a statement early Friday morning apologizing for the racially-charged tweets he sent the day before.

Clevenger said he worded his rant about the Black Lives Matter movement poorly and that he is “sickened” by the thought of anyone thinking he’s racist.

“First and foremost I would like to apologize to the Seattle Mariners, my teammates, my family and the fans of our great game for the distraction my tweets on my personal twitter page caused when they went public earlier today,” the statement read, via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. “I am sickened by the idea that anyone would think of me in racist terms. My tweets were reactionary to the events I saw on the news and were worded beyond poorly at best and I can see how and why someone could read into my tweets far more deeply than how I actually feel.

“I grew up on the streets of Baltimore, a city I love to this very day. I grew up in a very culturally diverse area of America and I am very proud to come from there. I am also proud that my inner circle of friends has never been defined by race but by the content of their character. Any former teammate or anyone who has met me can attest to this and I pride myself on not being a judgmental person. I just ask that the public not judge me because of an ill worded tweet.”

Clevenger added that he is “frustrated” by the events going on in the world and would like to be a part of the conversation going forward. His tweets have since been deleted, but you can read them here.

The Mariners have already released a statement condemning Clevenger’s remarks, and the team could take disciplinary action. Clevenger appeared in just 22 games this season before suffering a broken hand.