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.
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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.
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