WASHINGTON Giancarlo Stanton apparently knew something already.

Stanton, who kneeled along with teammate Aaron Hicks during Saturday nights national anthem in support ofBlack Lives Matter and to protest racial injustice, was asked after the game about his feelings relating to President Donald Trumps announcement Thursday that he would be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before an Aug. 15 against the Red Sox at the Stadium.

Im not positive thats a sure thing thats going to happen, Stanton said. Well get there when we get there. Thats in August. Its not something I have to worry about now.

And perhaps not on Aug. 15, either.

Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I wont be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15th, President Trump tweeted Sunday afternoon. We will make it later in the season!

The truth, however, might be a bit more complex than that.

Stanton and Hicks choosing to take a knee Saturday night something the pair informed their teammates and manager of beforehand was notable for more than a few reasons. The most significant was the seething anger felt by many in the organization a group that includes staff, players and executives regarding the invite, which President Trump said was extended by Yankees team president Randy Levine. The sentiment most often heard was the seeming incongruity between the lengthy statement released by the club June 8 about Black Lives Matter and racial inequities and reaching out to the President.

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Masahiro Tanaka, delayed slightly after taking a Stanton liner off his head in a July sim game, threw a two-inning simulated game at the alternate training campin Scranton early Sunday afternoon, striking out three.

One observer said Tanaka, who suffered a concussion when hit, seemed confident and unphased from the injury on the mound and looked very much like himself.

Tanaka could slot back into the rotation in five days.

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.

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Trump tweets that he won't throw first pitch at Stadium - Newsday