MLB has stated that further spring training games would be canceled, and that Opening Day will be postponed by at least two weeks. Pic.twitter.com/twmHWOsM2p "Nothing is more essential to us than our players', workers', and spectators' health and safety," the league stated in its release. "We recognize that these measures are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in accordance with applicable laws and guidelines from health officials."
There have been no reports of any major league teams canceling or postponing their season opener. However, with the majority of games being played away from home, many questions remain about how the season will play out. It's possible that without any clear direction from MLB, teams could proceed as if they were still opening up camp but hold off on any public announcements regarding game schedules or venue changes.
Even with all of the cancellations, it's important to remember that baseball remains one of the only sports that can be played without physical contact. This allows fans the opportunity to watch their favorite players while maintaining a safe distance from others who might be at risk from the virus. Of course, we'll also need to wait and see what role, if any, coronavirus plays during the season itself before determining how much impact these cancellations had on each team's season outlook.
Major League Baseball has canceled the remaining spring training games and announced that the start of the 2020 regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks because to the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement was made during the nightly news on MLB Network.
In addition, the league has suspended its season until further notice. No date has been set for when play might resume.
The cancellation of the remaining spring training games means that this year's season will be the first completed game in MLB history without a single player going to work at any of the major league ballparks.
After the cancellations were announced, many players across multiple teams took to social media to express their disappointment with the situation that had been put forth by Major League Baseball. Some suggested that the spring training games should have never started in the first place while others argued that some sort of compensation should be given to the players who lost wages due to the postponements.
It is not known what type of pay structure exists between Major League Baseball and its players but it is estimated that more than $1 billion is paid out in prize money each year.
As for the owners of the 30 major league teams, they held off on making any public comments about the cancellations until later in the evening.
Last year, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of Spring Training in mid-March and the postponement of Opening Day. COVID-19, on the other hand, will continue to have an impact on MLB in 2021. As a result, all public events involving more than 10 people are prohibited until further notice. This includes games and practices. Spring Training is important because it allows teams to get ready for the upcoming season while staying in close proximity to one another.
Additionally, the suspension of baseball activities has had an effect on business operations. Both MLB and the Cactus League itself have tried to help maintain normalcy as much as possible during this difficult time. That said, there are still concerns about how both leagues will move forward given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.
As previously announced, MLB has scheduled a virtual opening day on April 4th. The Los Angeles Angels will be the first team in action with a 1:05 p.m. PT start against the Seattle Mariners. Other than that, all 30 teams will play within their respective divisions with two games being played per day across the league. Each club's schedule will be released after the conclusion of the 2020 season.
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