Minor league pitcher Solomon Bates announced on social media Tuesday that he is gay.
"Being gay in this sport you don't know what comes at you!" Bates wrote on Instagram following his release from the San Francisco Giants. "I thank the giants for giving me the opportunity to be myself and go out there and play the game that I love the most. I'm still in shock on what just happened. But I'm not giving up on what I want to do. I'm still going to open up doors for gay athletes like me. Still will strive to be one of the greatest to do it.