Several Giants players, coaches kneel during anthem

Several San Francisco Giants players and coaches kneeled during the U.S. national anthem prior to Monday's exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics.

Veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford rested his hands on the shoulders of outfielder Jaylin Davis and first base coach Antoan Richardson as they each took a knee.

Gabe Kapler was also among those who kneeled. He's the first MLB manager to kneel during the anthem.

"We're proud of our players and staff for continuing to participate in the national conversation about racial injustice," Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. "We support those who knelt to peacefully protest racial injustice and those who stood to express love of country.

"We do not see these as mutually exclusive sentiments and believe the freedom to express both is what our country is about. As an organization, we reaffirm our denouncement of acts of discrimination and violence against members of the Black community and our pledge to work together with those who seek to end racial injustice in America."

Giants right-hander Kevin Gausman said Kapler held a team meeting before the game to discuss kneeling.

"He said it's everybody's option," Gausman said, according to Baggarly. "His biggest thing to us is whatever side you're on, whether you decide to stand or kneel, whatever reason, he's going to stand by us."

Professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem at sporting events has been used as a form of silent protest against police brutality and racial inequality. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat and later kneeled during the anthem for that reason starting in 2016.

Former Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell also kneeled in protest in 2017, becoming the first MLB player to do so.