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  "path": "/mlb/2026/04/10/black-mlb-players-roster-percentage-increases",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-10T19:28:07.009Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>NEW YORK — Major League Baseball said Friday the percentage of Black players on Opening Day rosters increased in consecutive years for the first time in at least two decades.</p><p>MLB said that 6.8% of players on Opening Day rosters, injured lists and the restricted list were Black, up from 6.2% at the start of the 2025 season and 6.0% at the beginning of 2024.</p><p>This year's 0.6% increase was the most in a season since a 0.7% rise from 2017 to 2018.</p><p>The Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates are all without a single African-American player. The Padres also don’t have a Black player in the minors on their 40-man roster.</p><p>The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida issued annual studies that showed the percentage was 18% when its reports started in 1991.</p><p>Twenty of the 64 Black players had been in programs such as the MLB Youth Academy, Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Nike RBI and the Hank Aaron Invitational.</p><p>MLB said the total includes 22 players 25 or younger and eight older than 32. The average age of Black players was 27.8 and the overall average 29.25.</p><p>In addition, 17 Black players assigned to the minor leagues were on opening day 40-man rosters, including seven from MLB development programs. That group included Milwaukee outfielder Blake Perkins, who was brought up to the Brewers on March 26.</p><p><b>Contributing:</b> <i>USA TODAY Sports</i></p>",
  "title": "Percentage of Black MLB players increases in consecutive years for the 1st time in two decades",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-10T19:28:07.009Z"
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