{"id":76646,"date":"2023-09-22T06:21:14","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T11:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=76646"},"modified":"2023-09-22T06:21:14","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T11:21:14","slug":"the-mlb-has-more-jewish-players-than-ever-but-none-of-them-will-face-a-yom-kippur-dilemma-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/the-mlb-has-more-jewish-players-than-ever-but-none-of-them-will-face-a-yom-kippur-dilemma-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"The MLB has more Jewish players than ever \u2014 but none of them will face a Yom Kippur dilemma this year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By JACOB GURVIS<\/p>\n<p>(JTA) \u2014 For Jews and baseball fans, this is one of the most important weekends of the year.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_76647\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-scaled.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76647\" class=\"wp-image-76647 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76647\" class=\"wp-image-76647 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-max-fried-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-76647\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Max Fried delivers a pitch in a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays, March 21, 2021. (Michael Reaves\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Yom Kippur, Judaism\u2019s holiest day, begins Sunday evening. That day will also kick off the final week of the MLB regular season, when the fight to make the playoffs comes down to the wire.<\/p>\n<p>For some Jewish players, the overlap between these two events brings conflict. In a few famous examples, players have put their faith first. Sandy Koufax is still celebrated for declining to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur, but he\u2019s not the only one to make that choice. Hank Greenberg, Ken Holtzman and Shawn Green \u2014 to name a few \u2014 have also sat out on the Jewish High Holidays. On Sept. 26, 2001, Green ended a streak of 415 consecutive games played \u2014 the longest active streak at the time \u2014 by sitting on Yom Kippur.<\/p>\n<p>This year, the decision was made easy for two of the game\u2019s best Jewish players, Max Fried and Dean Kremer \u2014 each of whom has struggled with how to deal with the High Holidays in the past. Fried is scheduled to pitch Thursday night for the Atlanta Braves, while Kremer takes the mound tomorrow for the Baltimore Orioles, meaning neither will be asked to play on Yom Kippur this year.<\/p>\n<p>In 2019, Fried\u2019s Braves faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, and the decisive Game 5 fell on Yom Kippur. Fried, who grew up in L.A. and idolized Sandy Koufax, was torn about whether he would pitch that night. Since he was not scheduled to start the game, he decided to fast for the holiday. But when the Braves starting pitcher was quickly pulled from the game, Fried was asked to pitch \u2014 and so he did, during a win-or-go-home playoff game, on an empty stomach. The Braves lost 13-1, and Fried surrendered four runs \u2014 though he did get fellow Jewish player and St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader to line out.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_76648\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-scaled.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76648\" class=\"wp-image-76648 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-300x204.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-1024x695.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-1536x1043.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-2048x1390.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/204;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76648\" class=\"wp-image-76648 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-300x204.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-1024x695.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-1536x1043.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/3-31-21-dean-kremer-2048x1390.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-76648\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dean Kremer pitches for the Baltimore Orioles in a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins, March 9, 2021. (Mark Brown\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Kremer, who has played for Team Israel and spoken about his proud Jewish identity, has not been faced with that kind of decision yet in his young career, though he has previously said he would not pitch on Yom Kippur.<\/p>\n<p>Eighteen Jewish players appeared in MLB games this season, a likely record. But aside from Fried and Kremer, it\u2019s unclear if any would sit out a game on a High Holiday. MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo, who himself is Jewish and produced the 2018 \u201cHeading Home\u201d documentary about Team Israel, said he thinks players sitting is \u201can exception, and far from the rule.\u201d He guessed most, if not all, Jewish players would play on the holiday if faced with the decision. (Not all 18 are currently in the big leagues.)<\/p>\n<p>As it turns out, because most teams play afternoon games on Sundays, only one Jewish player, San Francisco Giants outfielder and Team Israel alum Joc Pederson, is scheduled to play this year during Kol Nidre \u2014 the service, starting on Yom Kippur just before sundown, in which many Jews take part.<\/p>\n<p>The Giants, who are managed by another Team Israel alum, Gabe Kapler, play the Los Angeles Dodgers at 4:10 p.m. PT. Sunset in L.A. on Sunday is 6:47 p.m., meaning Jews across the city will be taking their seats in synagogue as the game winds down. Pederson has played on Yom Kippur in the past.<\/p>\n<p>Monday, a common off-day for MLB teams, only features four games, all of which begin around 6:40 p.m. or 7:40 p.m. local time.<\/p>\n<p>The topic of Jewish players choosing whether or not to sit on Yom Kippur has intrigued Jewish fans and writers for years. In 2020, Howard Wasserman published an extensive study on the so-called \u201cKoufax Curse,\u201d seeking to determine once and for all whether Jewish players who do play on the holiday perform worse, possibly because they didn\u2019t follow Koufax\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n<p>Wasserman\u2019s conclusion: yes and no. He found that Jewish players who play on Yom Kippur do not necessarily play worse \u2014 in fact, some, like Alex Bregman, seem to perform especially well on the holiday \u2014 while teams with Jewish players do see a drop in results.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPerhaps the solution is that no one should play on Yom Kippur, at least not teams with Jewish players\u2026. Jews can recommit to their faith. And everyone can be ready to play the following day,\u201d Wasserman wrote. \u201cI make both suggestions with tongue in cheek, of course. MLB should not stop playing on Yom Kippur, nor should it urge Jewish players not to play. But these numbers might relieve Jewish players of the belief \u2026 that they lack the leverage to request the day off.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"The%20MLB%20has%20more%20Jewish%20players%20than%20ever%20%E2%80%94%20but%20none%20of%20them%20will%20face%20a%20Yom%20Kippur%20dilemma%20this%20year\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":76647,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1491,10228],"tags":[13332,8790,8795,11798,3005,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76646"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76646"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76649,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76646\/revisions\/76649"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}