UPDATE, July 26: Trump said Sunday on Twitter that the pitch has been delayed to "later in the season." He cited a busy schedule as the reason hw won't be able to make it to the Bronx for a Saturday night three weeks out.
Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15th. We will make it later in the season!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2020
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will be throwing a ceremonial first pitch before a Yankees game this season, and he gave a specific date: Aug. 15, when the Bombers will be playing the Red Sox in a game to be telecast by Fox Sports.
The Yankees, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, confirmed a first pitch is coming but did not give a date. Trump said team president Randy Levine asked him to come to the Bronx to make the pitch.
MORE: Mixed reaction to Yankees, Nats kneeling before anthem
Trump made the announcement during a coronavirus briefing with reporters at the White House. Also in attendance was Yankees legend Mariano Rivera, who was voted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January. Rivera received the Congressional Medal of Freedom from Trump last September.
President Trumps plays catch with Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera on the South Lawn of the White House.#MarianoRivera#Yankees pic.twitter.com/Z4hL8fkORO
— ~Marietta✌ (@_MariettaDavis) July 24, 2020
Trump acknowledged he would be making his pitch in an empty Yankee Stadium. Fans are not being allowed inside MLB parks to combat the spread of COVID-19.
President Trump says he was asked by Yankees President Randy Levine to throw out the first pitch at a baseball game: “I think I’m doing that on August 15 at Yankee Stadium” https://t.co/wYHNtmyj2L pic.twitter.com/Xnq51kGhp8
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 23, 2020
The president's announcement also came before Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the top members of the White House's coronavirus task force, threw out the first pitch of the season before the Yankees-Nationals game in Washington. Trump has alternated between support of, and opposition to, Fauci during the coronavirus pandemic.
