Umpires end protest after MLB commissioner agrees to meeting

The World Umpires Association ended its protest against Major League Baseball on Sunday, after commissioner Rob Manfred agreed to meet with the umpires union to address their concerns.

Several major league umpires wore white wristbands during Saturday’s games to protest what they called “escalating verbal attacks” on the game’s arbiters. The breaking point came earlier in the week when Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler said umpire Angel Hernandez should find another job, among other things, after an altercation. Kinsler was fined but not suspended for his actions, which prompted Saturday’s protest.

“Major league umpires hold themselves to high standards. We are held accountable for our performance every game. Our most important duty is to protect the integrity of the game, and we will continue to do that job every day,” the umpires union said in a statement on Saturday. “But the Office of the Commissioner must protect our integrity when we are unfairly attacked simply for doing our jobs.”

One day later, the wristbands were gone.