LOS ANGELES (CNS) — The Los Angeles Dodgers will conduct Mental Health Awareness Day at Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium, with the team offering a ticket package including a Dodgers Teddy Bear.
The team’s second Mental Health Awareness Day is being held as part of a multi-year partnership between the Dodgers and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. The effort was announced in 2019 and billed as “focused on bringing issues surrounding mental health out of the shadows and into the public through a multi-faceted awareness campaign.”
Department employees will be at the Dodgers’ monthly Viva Los Dodgers family friendly festival in the Centerfield Plaza on Sunday “asking fans to share their ‘why’ and distributing resources and giveaway items,” a team spokesman told City News Service.
The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Gregory Polk, the chief deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
Viva Los Dodgers will begin at 11:10 a.m. with infielder Hanser Alberto expected to make an appearance and the Latin surf rock band The Blue Agave set to perform.
Children ages 5-14 will be able to run the bases following the game like for most Sunday day games.
Right-hander Michael Grove will make his major league debut as the Dodgers attempt to end a four-game losing streak that has dropped them into a tie for the National League West lead with the San Diego Padres. The losing streak is the Dodgers’ longest since a four-game streak from June 21-24, 2021.
Grove has never pitched above the Double-A level. He has an 0-1 record and 2.76 ERA in five starts with the Dodgers’ Tulsa Texas League affiliate this season after going 1-4 with a 7.86 ERA in 19 starts and two relief appearances for the Drillers last season.
The Dodgers selected Grove in the second round of the 2018 draft out of West Virginia University, the 68th overall selection.