Instead of gearing up for Opening Day and the 2020 Major League Baseball season, the players of the Los Angeles Dodgers and all other organizations have a much different focus on their minds right now.
Like just about everyone else in the country, Dodgers players are spending time at home and practicing social distance due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that has swept just about the entire world.
The Dodgers were in the midst of a very successful Spring Training before everything got shut down. The original plan was to remain in Arizona and work out at Camelback Ranch until baseball is able to resume.
But the Spring Training facility ended up having to be closed down for at least a two weeks and everyone was sent home. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently said no players in the organization have displayed symptoms of coronavirus, therefore none of them have been tested.
That remained the case on Thursday as he relayed everyone in the organization is doing well, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
#Dodgers Andrew Friedman says no one in the organization "that I'm aware of" has needed to be tested for coronavirus. "We're doing well."
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 26, 2020
Friedman’s report is obviously great news as not all other organizations can say the same. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have both announced that Minor League players tested positive for coronavirus. The Cincinnati Reds had an Arizona-based employee test positive as well.
While Dodgers players are stuck in their houses, they are doing what they can to stay in shape in preparation of a 2020 season that hopefully will be played at some point.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred conceded the league likely won’t be able to play a full 162-game season, but they are coming up with ways to get as close as possible.
The most important thing is everyone staying healthy in this time, so it is good to see that continues to be the case for the Dodgers organization.
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