Kurt Suzuki wore a MAGA hat. Ryan Zimmerman praised President Trump for “for keeping everyone safe in our country, and continuing to make America the greatest country to live in the world.” The team gave Trump a jersey (which some people noted was a “white Nationals” jersey). The crowd chanted “Four more years“—it’s unclear whether this was directed at Trump or Stephen Strasburg. Yep, the Nationals’ visit to the White House got a little awkward for fans who booed Trump when he came to the ballpark last week.
RYAN ZIMMERMAN to TRUMP: "We'd also like to thank you for keeping everyone safe in our country, and continuing to make America the greatest country to live in the world." pic.twitter.com/XFaicLHWkn
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 4, 2019
Meanwhile, a bunch of players stayed home, including Anthony Rendon, Victor Robles, and Sean Doolittle, who listed his reasons for not attending in a candid Washington Post interview (e.g., “I have a brother-in-law who has autism, and [Trump] is a guy that mocked a disabled reporter. How would I explain that to him that I hung out with somebody who mocked the way that he talked or the way that he moves his hands?”)
Some Nationals fans were aghast:
I am no longer a Nationals fan https://t.co/L7lTVCOJOl
— Joe Flood (@joeflood) November 4, 2019
There goes Kurt Suzuki, holding a MAGA hat and breaking my heart
— Nick McGuire (@NickJMcGuire) November 4, 2019
[Leaps off of Nats bandwagon so fast he breaks leg landing on the ground] https://t.co/GZSd0A9m4j
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) November 4, 2019
Wait a second, wasn’t this team supposed to heal this city’s supposed political divide?
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
