Major League Baseball announced the debut of “MLB Together,” a new platform emphasizing the league’s efforts to make important societal contributions through the power of partnership and community.
MLB Together will embody the sport’s guiding principles of community engagement, nonprofit partnerships, social impact and volunteerism, and also feature a new mental health and wellness initiative geared toward youth.
MLB Together serves as an ongoing call-to-action for everyone across the game to get involved in their communities through a diverse offering of goodwill, legacy and charitable programs. Three-time All-Star and recent cancer survivor Liam Hendriks is serving as the ambassador.
The MLB Together platform will operate within seven corresponding guiding principles, including youth empowerment, diversity, equity and inclusion, domestic and physical safety, health research and resources, and military family and veteran resources.
What’s more, MLB’s new mental health and wellness program is aimed at public awareness, removing shame from having conversations around mental health, providing education and interactive support with a special emphasis on youth.
“MLB Together represents the very best of what our sport means to our fans and our communities,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Baseball’s ability to bring people together through shared values and addressing common causes has helped secure the game’s status within our culture.
“We look forward to working with our clubs, partners, players and fans to make a meaningful community impact through the MLB Together platform.”
Dave Roberts: Dodgers strive to be ‘relentlessly positive’
In addition to raising awareness for mental health awareness, May is also Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team places an emphasis on representing the league in the best possible manner.
“As far as our guys, I think we try to be relentlessly positive,” Roberts said. “It’s a tough game, so I think we’re very cognizant of what’s going on and expectations. The mental health component, everyone deals with it differently, but to some degree it’s something you’ve got to be mindful of.
“We’re very in tune with that and try to get guys to express their emotions and feelings. I try to be as positive as I can with these guys and appreciate how hard this game is.
“As far as AAPI, I think it’s a responsibility to do the right thing because I’m representative of a lot of people. It’s one month, but I’m half-Japanese, so I feel that responsibility every day. Whether it’s Black History Month or AAPI Month, it’s a responsibility I take on every day.”
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