Yankees slugger Aaron Choose referred to as Thursday’s 9-3 win over the Tigers a “surreal day” between assembly President Donald Trump earlier than the sport and commemorating the twenty fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11 assaults.
Trump was in New York to honor the anniversary of the assaults and stopped by the Yankees clubhouse previous to the sport, shaking palms with the gamers and even sharing a second with Choose. The Yankee famous person mentioned that he had by no means met a sitting president earlier than Thursday, whereas noting the significance of the day and the necessity to come collectively.
“Irrespective of your beliefs, I feel simply particularly at this time, 9/11, the energy and resilience that New York Metropolis confirmed throughout one of many darkest hours, darkest occasions, it’s simply an necessary day for all of us to come back collectively, actually,” Choose mentioned. “It’s simply form of a surreal second, surreal day, and for us to come back out with a giant win, particularly the final two losses we had, it was simply an all-around nice day.”
Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone described assembly President Trump as a “cool expertise,” admitting it was a “little intimidating.”
“You’re somewhat nervous, however he’s nice in that setting, actual personable,” Boone mentioned. “Took some photos, shook palms, after which I walked him into the primary space the place the gamers had been, they usually acquired to greet him. It was, it was a very, actually cool interplay.”
Video from contained in the clubhouse confirmed the president addressing the gamers moments earlier than they took the sector. Trump instructed the Yankees gamers that the group would “make the [playoffs]” and that they might “go all the way in which.”
The president then proceeded to shake the palms of the gamers, sharing notable moments with ailing Yankee Anthony Volpe and Choose.
“You’ve got that a lot muscle, it’s a must to hit the ball good,” Trump joked to Choose. “You’re a incredible participant. … You’re an unbelievable participant.”
Choose proceeded to hit a pair of dwelling runs within the blowout win, together with a crushing blast into the left discipline seats within the backside of the primary inning that gave the Yankees an early 1-0 lead.
His second dwelling run of the sport got here within the third inning, when he hit his 361st profession homer to tie Joe DiMaggio on the Yankees’ all-time dwelling run checklist.
“I suppose we’ve acquired to have him round extra typically if we’re going to go on the market and rating that many runs,” Choose joked about Trump’s presence.