Coach apologizes for gesture
OAKLAND, Calif. — Major League Baseball has been in touch with the Athletics about their bench coach making a gesture that appeared to be a Nazi salute following a win over the Rangers. No discipline has been announced against coach Ryan Christenson, who has apologized.
“Ryan Christenson is fully supported by everybody in our clubhouse and they know who he is. So do I. Obviously it didn’t look great but that was not his intent at all. I know that for a fact,” manager Bob Melvin said.
A short team meeting was all that the A’s needed because Christenson had full support, Melvin said.
Christenson apologized late Thursday for raising his arm during the postgame celebration. He made the gesture while greeting closer Liam Hendriks following the win.
Hendriks immediately pushed Christenson’s arm down. Cameras showed Christenson laughing and briefly raising his arm a second time. Christenson faced criticism after video of the gesture circulated.
“I made a mistake and will not deny it,” Christenson said in a statement issued through the team. “Today in the dugout I greeted players with a gesture that was offensive. In the world today of COVID, I adapted our elbow bump, which we do after wins, to create some distance with the players. My gesture unintentionally resulted in a racist and horrible salute that I do not believe in. What I did is unacceptable and I deeply apologize.”
The A’s called the gesture “offensive” and apologized for it.