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Yankees and Rays forego live-tweeting game to post gun violence facts

During MLB games, the job of a team's official Twitter account is simple: Tweet how highlights for the big moments, gifs for the smaller ones and the final score at the end, win or lose.

The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees opted to try something different.

Following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two teachers, the two teams announced they would forego their usual game coverage on social media on Thursday in favor of a series of facts about gun violence from nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.

The Rays, who were also among the most vocal MLB teams in the aftermath of the George Floyd shooting, also announced they had made a $50,000 commitment to Everytown.

A small sampling of how that ended up playing out:

The tweets were also responsible for creating the most dissonant Twitter moment in the history of the platform.

The Uvalde shooting has increased calls for gun reform across the country, including in the sports world. The NBA's Miami Heat held a moment of silence for the victims before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, then urged their fans to contact their local representative in favor of common sense gun control laws. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr ripped Republican lawmakers for blocking a background check bill that has already passed the House.

Rays pitcher Brooks Raley, who attended Robb Elementary, described to reporters his shock at learning about the shooting, but declined to comment on the political side of the moment.

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05:  Aaron Hicks #31 of the New York Yankees batting helmet on the grass during a game baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland.  (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
The Yankees and Rays decided to use their platform for something other than baseball on Thursday. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)