American professional sports have been shut down for two months because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Major League Baseball is about to get serious about finding a way back to the field, reports The Wall Street Journal.
MLB is expected to present a formal proposal to the players’ union this week that will outline the league’s idea for how to stage a season in 2020, several people familiar with the matter said. This will come after commissioner Rob Manfred holds a conference call with the 30 team owners Monday to discuss the plan.
The move comes as state economies are beginning to reopen, and baseball faces the reality that if it doesn’t act soon, the entire season could slip away. But huge challenges stand in the way, including the question of how often players and other personnel will be tested—and where the resources to do that will come from.
The basic outline involves playing roughly 80 games—about half as many as usual—beginning in early July, following a second spring training in June. Games would be held without fans in as many MLB stadiums as allowed by local governments. Other teams would relocate, perhaps to their spring training facilities in Arizona or Florida. For example, anybody entering Canada is currently subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine, making the Toronto Blue Jays a candidate to find a new home, at least at first.
To reduce travel, the schedule would be regionalized, with teams exclusively facing opponents from their own geographic area. That would mean, for instance, the Los Angeles Dodgers playing games against not only their traditional National League West rivals, but also American League West teams like the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners. Additionally, the playoffs would expand from 10 participants to as many as 14 as a way to help offset MLB’s reduced revenues. Rosters could also be expanded.
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