At a time of fraught trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. – from Donald Trump’s tariffs to the delayed Gordie Howe Bridge – there is one thing Canadians and Americans can both enjoy. And that’s baseball! Promoting good will between the two countries, the Washington Nationals are hosting the Toronto Blue Jays in a Canada-U.S. Friendship Day game. The Canadian Embassy describes today’s baseball matchup as a celebration of two nations who love the game. You could call it “baseball diplomacy.” Even after the U.S. president told Fox News today that "Mexico and Canada need us. We don’t need them." For the fans and lucky ticket holders, there’s a coveted prize: a special baseball cap with the Washington Nationals logo on a red Maple Leaf. On the side of the hat, the old Montreal Expos logo, a nod to the Washington team’s franchise history. After 36 seasons in Montreal, the Expos relocated to Washington D.C. in 2005. The Jays won the first game of the series 3-2 Monday night. First pitch on Tuesday night is at 6:45 p.m. ET. Last night’s game was no doubt an emotional one for Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, who played six-and-a-half seasons with the Nationals. The future hall-of-famer got a lot of love – and a standing ovation – from fans of his present and past teams. Also, it happened to be his 42nd birthday and 100th career start at Nationals Park.
