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Former Yankees closer Mariano Rivera joins Trump's opioid listening group

USA TODAY Sports

President Donald Trump could have used a closer last week during the healthcare breakdown on Capitol Hill. Instead, former Yankees great Mariano Rivera was summoned to the White House on Wednesday. (No word on whether “Enter Sandman” played when Rivera stepped into the West Wing.)

Rivera, who retired after the 2013 season as baseball’s all-time saves leader (652), was in Washington D.C. for a listening session on Trump’s newly created opioid commission. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a devoted Mets fan, is leading the group, which was created to fight a growing opioid addiction problem in the U.S.

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Rivera is a philanthropist these days and leads the Mariano Rivera Foundation, which supports community-based organizations. The group specifically focuses on education, health and social and economic development, according to its website, marianoriverafoundation.org. One of its biggest projects to date was renovating a church in New Rochelle, N.Y., in 2014.

Trump steered the conversation to baseball when introducing Rivera but offered no specifics on what role the closer might play on the committee.

“Oh, they could use you now,” Trump said of the Yankees. “You know, I think you’d make $100 million a year right now…I watched for many years, Mariano. I’d sit with George (Steinbrenner), and George always felt good when Mariano was throwing.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former Yankees All-Star closer Mariano Rivera was at the White House on Wednesday for a listening session on the nation's opioid crisis.
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