MLB investigation into Mariners found no proof of racism accused by Dr. Lorena Martin

An independent investigation commissioned by Major League Baseball has cleared the Seattle Mariners after an ex-team employee alleged racism and bigotry within the organization.

Dr. Lorena Martin was the team’s director of high performance until October, when she was fired after one year on the job. Shortly after, she started to circulate claims via social media that front-office leaders had called “Latinos lazy, dumb and stupid, especially the Dominicans.” She later filed a lawsuit against the Mariners and MLB opened its own investigation into the matter.

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On Wednesday, MLB announced its investigation — carried out by an independent firm — found no proof of Martin’s claims. Here is the league’s statement in its entirety:

On November 13, 2018, Major League Baseball announced that it would investigate allegations made by Dr. Lorena Martin, a former employee of the Seattle Mariners, regarding her treatment by the organization and her claims that senior Club officials made derogatory and inappropriate comments. The investigation was conducted by Epstein Becker Green, a national law firm specializing in labor and employment matters, whose attorneys interviewed seventeen potential witnesses, including Dr. Martin.

The firm did not uncover credible evidence that the Mariners, or any of its employees, violated Major League Baseball’s Workplace Code of Conduct, or applicable anti-discrimination law, in the treatment of Dr. Martin or the termination of her employment. The investigation also concluded that there is no credible evidence to support Dr. Martin’s claim that Mariners’ employees, including Jerry Dipoto, Scott Servais, or Andy McKay, made any of the comments attributed to them in her public statement or subsequent lawsuit.

Because of the ongoing litigation, MLB will have no further comment on this matter.

Here is Martin’s Instagram post from November which details her accusations:

It’s worth noting that the MLB investigation only clears the Mariners of any wrongdoing from the league’s perspective. Martin’s lawsuit against the Mariners for wrongful termination is still pending.

Lorena Martin, Seattle Mariners' former director of high performance, accused the team of racism after she was fired. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)