The Washington Nationals are attempting some diamond diplomacy, hosting a Canada-U.S. Friendship Day with the Toronto Blue Jays in town Tuesday night.
The promotion comes at a fraught time for relations between the two countries, with new tariff threats, the spat over the Gordie Howe bridge and a shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto all causing cross-border tension.
There is also baseball history between Canada and the Nationals; after 36 seasons in Montreal, the Expos relocated to Washington, D.C., ahead of the 2005 MLB campaign and became the Nationals.
Get breaking National news
As part of the Friendship Day event, fans can get their hands on a special Expos-inspired Nationals hat with the Montreal logo on the side and a maple leaf on the front, behind Washington’s logo.
Reaction on social media has been mixed. Some fans seem to be on board with the design, with others calling it tone-deaf.
The Blue Jays won the first game of the series 3-2 Monday night. First pitch on Tuesday night is at 6:45 p.m.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.