Twitter Stunned Over Fauci Throwing Out Nats’ First Pitch While Yankees Closer Mariano Rivera Attends Trump’s Coronavirus Briefing
On Thursday, New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera appeared at President Donald Trump’s coronavirus press briefing and was oddly cited by the president during his argument to re-open schools this fall. Notably missing from the White House event was the nation’s infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was ironically just hours away from throwing out the first pitch at MLB’s season-opener, where the Washington Nationals hosted the Yankees.
Rivera was notably not wearing a mask in the briefing room filled with reporters donning them. The Hall-of Fame closer’s unexpected presence — he was there for a photo op with the president and Little Leaguers — coupled with the missing Fauci, ignited a flurry of mockery and dismay online.
Why the fuck is Mariano Rivera there, @Yankees? And he’s not wearing a mask either. I don’t know how much longer I can take this before I start screaming and scaring my neighbors #TrumpPresser
— Tara Dublin Doesn’t Want You to Get Sick ? (@taradublinrocks) July 23, 2020
Mariano Rivera has spoken to the American public about Covid-19 more times in the last two months than Dr. Fauci has.
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) July 23, 2020
Mariano Rivera *was* one of my top-5 favorite athletes of all time. Having met him, he’s warm, decent, and kind. Incredibly sad for a self-made immigrant to inexplicably align himself with Trump.
— Jamie ?’Grady ⚡ (@JamieOGrady) July 23, 2020
Trump’s ego won’t let him put actual health experts during a pandemic at his briefings, but he will promote former baseball players, like Mariano Rivera, who support him & say nice things.
This is the weirdest president & administration in American history.
— Jim Heath (@JimHeathTV) July 23, 2020
Uhh, so let me get this straight. We should send kids back to school cause Mariano Rivera says it’s safe? So is Fauci the new Yankees closer? And oh yeah, F Jacksonville!
Dear God, I think I need the cognitive test. pic.twitter.com/OsqDvWWU5n
— Chip Franklin (@chipfranklin) July 23, 2020
I love Mariano Rivera but I don’t give a fuckYou what he says my kids aren’t going back to school until it’s fucking safe.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) July 23, 2020
I’ve always said that despite being a reliever Mariano Rivera should be considered a major authority on public health issues.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) July 23, 2020
We often point out when the president makes factually incorrect statements, but it’s worth noting and crediting him when he is right. Mariano Rivera was indeed the greatest closer of all time.
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) July 23, 2020
The (campaign) manager is approaching the mound. Looks like he’s going yank the starter, and call in ace reliever @MarianoRivera….
— howardfineman (@howardfineman) July 23, 2020
Anthony Fauci is on the mound; Mariano Rivera is at the White House COVID briefing; We are in a simulation.
— Michael Eisen (@mbeisen) July 23, 2020
