Mayor Bill de Blasio and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. are fuming that the Yankees have invited President Donald Trump to throw out the ceremonial first pitch next month at Yankee Stadium.
Diaz called out the organization in a press release Friday, pointing out that it came weeks after the Yankees released a statement reading, in part, "Black lives matter. The New York Yankees condemn racism, prejudice and injustice in all forms."
"By inviting President Trump to throw out the first pitch, they are blatantly demonstrating that their pronouncements are cynical and devoid of genuine meaning," Diaz said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio echoed Diaz's sentiments, tweeting, "After CONDEMNING racism, the next step isn’t inviting it to your pitcher’s mound. To the players that knelt for the BLM movement, we applaud you. To the execs that have aligned with hatred, you are on the wrong side of history and morality."
The borough president suggested a Black Lives Matter mural may be coming to a street outside Yankee Stadium.
"Perhaps, in fact, the words 'Black Lives Matter' should now also be painted on the street outside of Yankee Stadium, the same as Trump Tower," Diaz said.
“We all deserve better than a careless major league baseball organization that consistently ignores the surrounding community while pandering to an unapologetic white supremacist like Donald Trump,” Diaz continued. “That the Bronx Bombers would see fit to invite Donald Trump to our great borough, to throw out the first pitch, is a resounding slap in the face to Bronxities and loyal Yankees fans who will always root for their home team!”
At a White House briefing Thursday, Trump said Yankees president Randy Levine “asked me to throw out the first pitch” at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 15.
The Yankees haven’t commented on Diaz’s statement.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM Sports
Twitter | Facebook I Instagram