David Price to donate Jackie Robinson Day game salary to The Players Alliance

Dodgers’ lefty David Price, is among a group of players who will donate their Friday game salary to The Players Alliance, a non-profit formed by current and former major league players to improve Black representation in baseball.

Major league players are paid based on a 186-day season, so one day of Price’s $32 million salary equates to roughly $172,043.

MLB players Lorenzo Cain, Jason Heyward, Aaron Hicks, and Mike Moustakas are among those who’ve joined Price by pledging to donate their full or partial game-day salary.

Funds raised this year for Jackie Robinson Day will allow The Players Alliance to directly invest in struggling inner city and rural baseball teams. This past Tuesday, the group invested in more than 500 middle schoolers in Atlanta. Future plans include attracting skilled coaches and trainers to under-resourced programs, sponsoring after-school intensives and providing uniforms, shoes, equipment and transportation, among other efforts.

In 2021, The Players Alliance’s ‘Players Pull Up’ tour traveled to 33 cities to provide pantry supplies and COVID resources to more than 20,000 families in need, and in partnership with Major League Baseball, provided $1 million worth of baseball equipment, giving children across the country first-time access to the tools to play the game.

75 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Black players make up only 7% of all MLB players. “There is a sacred brotherhood in baseball. It’s important to all of us that there’s representation from more of us,” said CC Sabathia, The Players Alliance Board Member and new Special Assistant to the Commissioner.

“Players sacrifice their pay because they believe that diversity is an asset that should be actively pursued,” said Curtis Granderson, The Players Alliance Board Chair and former MLB outfielder. “Our supporters reflect every racial, religious and professional level found in the sport and they are committed to upholding Jackie’s legacy by breaking ­today’s barriers.”

Dodger outfielder Mookie Betts, who donated his salary last season on Jackie Robinson Day, was a guest on the Black Diamonds podcast this week to talk about what the day means to him.

Dodgers Links

• The LA Times ran a piece talking about how Jackie Robinson wouldn’t have liked Jackie Robinson Day.