Ex-MLB star Jonathan Lucroy explains refusing to kneel for the national anthem
Former MLB catcher Jonathan Lucroy explains his national anthem stance on ‘OutKick the Morning.’
Former MLB All-Star Jonathan Lucroy, who has been posting opinions about politics and other issues, has revealed he is receiving hate mail.
Lucroy implored Americans to vote, explaining why he believed it was so important to do so.
Among his lengthy X posts was him saying he refused to kneel for the national anthem despite one of the teams he was playing for instructing him to do so.
"I gave them the finger," Lucroy said on X.
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Boston Red Sox designated hitter Jonathan Lucroy gets high-fives during a game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., March 2, 2020. (Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports)
The 12-year MLB catcher said he has gotten hate mail for "stating my opinion."
"God forbid a pro athlete stand up for what they believe," he wrote. "That’s part of the problem. Some people are too sensitive, emotional, and weak to hear the opinion of people that reached the athletic pinnacle of the craft, or any other top level. See [Elon Musk] and how much hate from the other side he’s getting."
Lucroy added his belief that most MLB players have conservative views, which the league wants them to keep to themselves.
"I am not politically correct," he said. "When I say that 90+% of American-born MLB players are conservative, you can take that to the bank. We just don’t speak up as much because we are told to be neutral. I will not remain neutral anymore.
"I’m stubborn and hardheaded. I also know what it took for me to play 10 years in MLB, as well as witnessing the character attributes of greatness as defined by the best players I ever worked with. I don’t care what you think or say. I care about my children, family, God, and country. Deal with it."
Lucroy made an appearance on "OutKick the Morning" recently, where he described to Charly Arnolt what happened after his post on X about refusing to kneel gained so much traction.
Former Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy waves to fans after officially retiring as a Brewer before a game against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field. (Benny Sieu/USA Today Sports)
"I don’t want to get specific and call out teams or anything like that, that’s not what I’m doing," Lucroy said before talking about the 2020 COVID-shortened season, when racial tensions were sparked by the murder of George Floyd.
"But you know, in general, you know these teams they come down, and they don’t want you to be politically, they don’t want you to be politically polarizing. They don’t want you to lean a certain way. They just want you to stay neutral and kind of keep your mouth shut.
"But the problem is I was with a team that told me to kneel for the anthem, and I gave them the finger, and I’m like, 'No, I will never do that. Never, ever, ever. You’re not going to make me. There is nothing you’re … I’m not doing that.
"We were told by a team to get the vaccine. And if we didn’t get the vaccine, we couldn’t see our family for three months. Now that came down from the CDC to MLB, which was then passed along to the teams, so that wasn’t the teams’ fault. But the kneeling for the anthem part was a big issue for me. That was several years ago, and that really turned me on to the culture war that we fight."
Lucroy spent time with the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies during the 2020 season.
Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy waits his turn in the batting cage before playing the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh April 18, 2015. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)
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The catcher spent time with nine different teams over his MLB career, mostly with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was drafted out of Louisiana-Lafayette in the third round in 2007, hitting .274 with 108 homers.
Lucroy was named an MLB All-Star in 2014 and 2016.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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