Clint Frazier and Didi Gregorius Are American Heroes

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius homered during a summer camp game. New York Yankees right fielder Clint Frazier also homered during a summer camp game. Both players did it while wearing a mask. This could be a very important moment for our country.

With two swings in two different cities, Gregorius and Frazier made what should be the final argument for wearing masks. If scientists and doctors don't work for you, please take it from the professional athletes. Wear a f---king mask.

Gregorius is wearing a mask because he has a chronic kidney disorder that makes him high risk. Frazier is wearing one out of respect for those around him. What more do you need? These are professional athletes performing at the highest level, wearing masks to protect themselves and others. This isn't Ben Affleck wearing a mask to get Dunkin Donuts. They are performing their jobs at the highest levels while wearing masks.

For anyone who has fought wearing a mask, this is your chance. This is your opportunity to admit this isn't such a big deal. You can now put on a mask and help turn around an entire pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans so far. Just remind yourself that these two guys proved that it isn't a big deal.

That Gregorius and Frazier did this on the same day Canada told the Toronto Blue Jays they could not play at home this season should be all we need to hear. Right? When even our most high profile, regularly tested citizens can't get into a country we share a border with, this has to be it. The director of the CDC came out earlier this week and said that if everyone wears a mask we can get this under control in 4-8 weeks. By the time this very short baseball season is over, we could have this under control if we just follow the lead of Gregorius and Frazier. Unless you are OK with someone you know ending up like Freddie Freeman.

I hope more players follow their lead. Not just because Freeman was in such bad shape with COVID-19 that he was literally praying for his life. Imagine if all of the Yankees wore face coverings on Thursday night when they open the season on ESPN against the Washington Nationals. Imagine if the Nationals also wore masks in the first game of the Major League Baseball season. A season that was delayed for months and shortened by 102 games because Americans didn't just wear masks.

If you want football on television in September. If you want the Blue Jays back in Toronto next spring. If you want the actual freedom and way of American life that you claim to care so much about, you'll just wear a mask like Clint Frazier and Didi Gregorius. These guys are American heroes. They're trying to save themselves and the people they know by doing something they don't even notice anymore. MLB, ESPN, the White House... they should all be promoting these guys. This is our chance. For some people, it is literally their last chance.