Moments before their long-delayed season got under way Friday, six Mariners players raised their right fists while standing during the national anthem as part of Opening Day pregame ceremonies at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The statement for unity and social justice came from a Seattle squad that includes nine Black players, the most African-Americans on any 30-man roster in Major League Baseball.

Center fielder Kyle Lewis, shortstop J.P. Crawford, second baseman Shed Long Jr., right fielder Mallex Smith, second baseman Dee Gordon and left-hander Justus Sheffield stood side by side in the Mariners’ line of players and raised their fists.

“It meant a lot, just being on a team with so many African-American players and being able to represent that community as well,” said Lewis, a 25-year-old rookie who homered in his first at-bat of an 8-2 loss to the Astros. “We were able to come together and show unity with the whole team. I appreciate all our teammates and everybody coming together and showing unity. It really means a lot to everybody in that clubhouse.”

Every MLB game has included an organized demonstration with all the players and uniformed personnel on both teams sharing a 200-yard piece of black fabric as they stand on the baselines during pregame introductions, then taking a knee for a prolonged moment of silence following a public address from actor Morgan Freeman stressing the need for unity and empathy.

The Astros and Mariners took part in the same ceremony, with all players on both teams then rising to their feet before the singing of the anthem.

Lewis said it was Gordon’s idea to raise the fists, and the team talked numerous times about how best to address the situation in the days leading up to the opener. Lewis, Long and Sheffield were all on an Opening Day roster for the first time, and Lewis acknowledged it was an emotional moment for many reasons.

“It was a lot, knowing you’re representing your community back home always. And for me, playing my whole life just to try to play on Opening Day,” said the 2016 first-round Draft pick out of Mercer. “With so many things going on in the world at the same time, there were a lot of different circumstances all at once. You have a lot of emotions going and are just trying to balance all that, take it in stride and enjoy it. I really appreciate every opportunity to be out there, so today was really special.”

Lewis said he’s been encouraged by the openness of his teammates and the Mariners and their willingness to listen to the concerns of racial equality being raised.

“We’ve talked about it multiple times, and I feel really good about the conversations we’ve had,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said prior to the game, while wearing the same Black Lives Matter T-shirt that many of his players wore during batting practice. “I’ve said all along, and will continue to say, the beauty of our country is freedom of choice. We have to respect people in whatever they do.

“I want all of our guys to know I support them and whatever they choose to do. The more we talk and learn from each other, that’s how you really induce change,” Servais said. “That’s what it’s about. It’s about change. Our guys understand that. We’re in a good spot with that. I don’t know what every player is going to do, nor should I. It’s not for me to judge. But we’ll handle it and continue to talk about it as the season goes on.”

Servais has been open with his team in discussing racial and social justice since the topic became part of the national discourse in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer over Memorial Day weekend.

Players wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts during batting practice, and game uniforms included optional patches that said “Black Lives Matter” and “United for Change.” The pitcher’s mound at Minute Maid Park displayed a stencil of the inverted MLB logo depicting a Black player, with the message “BLM.”