In April 2018, the Los Angeles Dodgers were awarded the 2020 MLB All-Star Game, which represented the first time the exhibition event would be held at Dodger Stadium since 1980.
The span has included a California team hosting the All-Star Game seven times: California/L.A. Angels (1989, 2010), San Diego Padres (1992, 2016) and San Francisco Giants (1984, 2007). Furthermore, nine teams have twice played host during that same stretch.
In July of last year the Dodgers unveiled the 2020 All-Star Game logo along with a video that detailed a significant renovation of Dodger Stadium. However, all of the excitement and anticipation may have been for naught.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Dodgers will not host this year’s All-Star Game, presumably due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic:
Anyway, all of this is to say @TheRock was super cool to an 18-year-old me and more than 20 years later I very much appreciate it. And to answer your question, @TalkinJake, the All-Star Game won't be happening. No official announcement yet, but that's coming at some point soon.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 24, 2020
When asked last week about the status of the All-Star Game, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman essentially suggested it would not be held. “We’re still awaiting definitive word from Major League Baseball,” he said. “I think once we get the schedule for this year, I think there will be a lot of clarity on that.”
The 2020 MLB schedule will have clubs playing 60 games in 66 days as the league has been adamant about concluding the regular season on Sept. 27. With built in off days likely being used as a cushion and fall-back options in the event games need to be rescheduled, there wouldn’t appear to be time to arrange for All-Star Week festivities such as the Home Run Derby and game.
Adrian Gonzalez is a proponent for an end-of-season All-Star Game, though that scenario wouldn’t necessarily solve this year’s challenge created by the pandemic.
If the event is cancelled, the next earliest point the Dodgers could host the All-Star Game is in 2022. The Atlanta Braves have already been awarded the 2021 Midsummer Classic.
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