It’s time again to « Play ball! » — but this year, amid a pandemic.
On Thursday, MLB finally returned to the field, and all eyes were …
It’s time again to « Play ball! » — but this year, amid a pandemic. On Thursday, MLB finally returned to the field, and all eyes were on the defending World Champions – the Washington Nationals. Since the season was shortened due to the coronavirus crisis, it’s perhaps only fitting that the ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by none other than Dr. Anthony Fauci, a huge Nationals fan besides being the nation’s leading infectious disease expert. « I’m quite nervous about it, » Fauci told the Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman, who is sitting out the season for safety reasons, citing the virus. « OK, well don’t worry about it, » Zimmerman responded in a tweeted video. « If you bounce it, there’s nobody there to boo you. So, you’ll be good to go. » Fauci did in fact throw it well outside and in the dirt. But then again, three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer allowed a two-run homer to Giancarlo Stanton in the first, so everyone on the mound struggled a bit early. President Donald Trump announced during his coronavirus briefing on Thursday that he will throw out the first pitch — for the first time in his presidency — at Yankee Stadium on Aug.15. Pres. Trump announces he will be throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium on August 15. This will be Pres. Trump’s 1st first pitch of his presidency. https://t.co/S1auan8udf pic.twitter.com/MWUcoKgghM On Thursday afternoon, ESPN reported Nationals star outfielders Juan Soto had tested positive for COVID-19 and would not play in the evening’s season opener. As the coronavirus continues to spread across the country and 39 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are reporting an increase in positive cases, America’s pastime returns to completely empty stadiums, cardboard cutouts as spectators, piped-in sound effects to mimic crowd noise, masked players, and pitchers with personal rosin bags.
