Mariners suspend Clevenger for rest of season after controversial tweets
The Seattle Mariners announced Friday that catcher Steve Clevenger has been suspended for the remainder of the season without pay after he sent a pair of controversial tweets Thursday night.
"As soon as we became aware of the tweets posted by Steve yesterday we began to examine all of our options in regard to his standing on the team," Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. "Today we have informed him that he is suspended for the remainder of the season without pay."
In the pair of since-deleted tweets, Clevenger called the Black Lives Matter movement and U.S. President Barack Obama "pathetic" before suggesting those involved with BLM be "locked behind bars like animals." The Mariners released a statement shortly after the tweets were uncovered that acknowledged Clevenger's right to express his personal views, but noted "his tweets do not in any way represent the opinion of the Seattle Mariners. We strongly disagree with the language and tone of his comments."
Clevenger apologized later Thursday in a lengthy statement.
Related: Clevenger apologizes for 'ill-worded' tweets about Obama, BLM
Clevenger, who's on the 60-day disabled list, will lose approximately $32,000 of his $516,000 salary this season, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com.
The 30-year-old, acquired by Seattle from Baltimore for Mark Trumbo over the winter, played in just 22 games this season.