Nationals Pretty Much Shun President Trump by Asking Jose Andres to Throw Out Game 5 First Pitch
By Jerry Trotta
President Donald Trump came out on Thursday to state that he would be in attendance at Nationals Park for a potential Game 5 of the World Series. Of course, the Houston Astros have to win one of the next two tilts to advance as far as Game 5, which would then take place on Sunday.
Trump, at the time, also disclosed that he wasn't sure if he would throw out the first pitch. And after all, wouldn't his appearance be enough?
Well, the Nationals have swiftly responded to the President's indifference by inviting renowned chef Jose Andres, who notoriously removed his restaurant from the Trump D.C. Hotel, to do the honors.
Confirmed by @Nationals: Trump not scheduled to throw out the first pitch if there's a Game 5 of the World Series. Instead, he'll watch @chefjoseandres -- a critic who pulled out of Trump's DC hotel -- throw the ceremonial pitch
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 25, 2019
If Andres' arrival doesn't tell you that the Nats wanted nothing to do with Trump throwing out the first pitch, then we don't know what will.
Why invite one of the President's many outspoken critics to partake in the ceremony if you didn't want him to feel thoroughly shunned?
Washington knows exactly what they are doing, folks, and the club even released a lengthy statement that featured a list of Andres' accomplishments to confirm his inclusion in the long-standing tradition.
From the press release: "If a Game 5 is necessary, the Nationals will welcome chef and humanitarian José Andrés to throw a ceremonial first pitch. Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018, Andrés is an internationally-recognized...
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 25, 2019
CNN White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond couldn't even fit the entire statement into one tweet.
...culinary innovator and founder of World Central Kitchen. In January 2019 Andrés opened a World Central Kitchen on Pennsylvania Ave, Washington D.C. to feed federal workers who were furloughed during the government shutdown." (h/t my @cnnsport colleagues)
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 25, 2019
We're guessing that Trump was very much aware that Andres was being asked to throw out the first pitch when he claimed his apathy towards partaking in the ceremony.
Based on this news, we sincerely doubt that the Nationals were even entertaining the thought of inviting the President to take the mound ahead of Game 5.