Thursday marks finally marks the long awaited Opening Day for the 2020 MLB season, and like everything else in America, Black Lives Matter has infiltrated baseball.
The Washington Nationals announced on Wednesday that MLB will debut a 'Black Lives Matter' stencil on mounds across the league during opening week.
Fans can expect to see the banner for the first time during the 2020 season opener between Nationals and Yankees at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
"The Nationals, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, stand with the Black Lives Matter movement and will utilize the platform and national stage of Opening Day to express support for the fight against systemic racism and injustice," the team said in a statement.
All teams have the option of using the Black Lives Matter stencil on the pitcher's mound during this weekend's games, but it's not required.
MLB is also allowing players to wear messages of social justice on their attire, according to ESPN's Howard Bryant. Phrases such as “United for Change" and “BLM” are a few of the 'woke' phrases that have been approved to be worn on jersey patches.
According to sources, MLB and teams are offering players a choice of social messaging on their jerseys for opening day. One league patch says “United for Change.” “BLM” is another. Andrew McCutcheon and Curtis Granderson have been working in coordination with the league. More TK.
— Full Dissident (@hbryant42) July 22, 2020
Some teams have already made their support for Black Lives Matter quite clear, but the Boston Red Sox took things a step further. The team put up a 254-foot "Black Lives Matter" billboard outside Fenway Park, an inescapable reminder for those driving on the Mass Pike.
#BLACKLIVESMATTER pic.twitter.com/bnHZuyo6Qs
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 23, 2020
In addition to their new billboard, the Red Sox said the ceremony before their season-opener Friday night against the Baltimore Orioles will feature some type of social justice element.
Before the season even opened, fans witnessed San Francisco Giants players along with their coach kneeling during the national anthem at their exhibition game agains the Oakland Athletics.
It's no wonder why fans are threatening to boycott MLB with politics intermingling its way into America's pastime.
Former Giants player Aubrey Huff, who was banned earlier this year from the 2010 World Series reunion due to his support of President Trump on social media, had some strong thoughts on the matter.
"Major League Baseball you have a problem and you'll find that out whenever you check your TV ratings here in the next month," said Huff in a video posted on Twitter. "You have abandoned the people that support you the most, and you have caved to this leftist mob mentality."
To all my patriotic @MLB brothers out there fighting the good fight....I got your back! ?????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/Qoxgne5atB
— Aubrey Huff (@aubrey_huff) July 23, 2020
Conservative commentators have also shared their frustration with the recent action of MLB.
"You still going to watch MLB folks?" tweed talk show host Mark Levin. "Not me. Adios."
You still going to watch MLB folks? Not me. Adios.https://t.co/aDnPb10DoQ
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) July 23, 2020
"Any multi-millionaire athlete who kneels during our National Anthem should leave our country," tweeted Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk.
Any multi-millionaire athlete who kneels during our National Anthem should leave our country.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 22, 2020
The MLB is setting the pace for other sports going forward as to what are acceptable political displays. Fans should expect to see these trends become worse in the NFL, already rattled by insistence at changing names and rattled by anthem kneeling and political protests. The NBA, who has recently been the subject of sharp criticism over their association to communist China, has already approved a list of social justice messages on jerseys.
"All Lives Matter" was not included in the list of approved messages, not surprisingly.