As the wait for the 2020 Major League Baseball season continues, the sport will be played virtually as the league, MLB Players Association and Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the creation of the MLB The Show Players League.
It’s the first-ever competitive MLB The Show league solely featuring Major League players. Thirty players have agreed to represent their teams and play one another in the inaugural online event to engage fans around the world and raise funds for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada.
MLB, the MLBPA and Sony will donate $5,000 on behalf of each participating player to a Boys & Girls Club affiliate in their team’s community. The winner of the Players League will earn an additional $25,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club in his community.
Boys & Girls Clubs is providing important services to help their communities navigate the challenging climate created by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Boys & Girls Clubs are facilitating provision of meals, lending support to families of first responders and medical workers, offering mental health services, and providing virtual programs for their members.
“Boys & Girls Clubs of America is proud to partner with Major League Baseball, the Players and Sony on this great program. Their contributions will help support our efforts in communities around the country to provide critical meals, support for first responders’ children and virtual learning to kids, families and communities,” Boys & Girls Clubs president and CEO Jim Clark said in a statement.
“For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs have navigated times of tragedy and crisis to provide safe places for kids and teens. Today, amid the current crisis, we are committed more than ever to ensure Club staff, members, families, and communities have the resources and support they need.”
The 30-player league includes 11 former All-Stars, five World Series Champions and eight players age 25 or younger. The Los Angeles Dodgers are being represented by Gavin Lux.
Each participant plays in a round-robin format (playing every team one time) throughout the month of April for a total of 29 regular-season, three-inning games. Following the regular season, the top eight teams will advance to the postseason, which will largely mirror the MLB playoffs format and culminate in a World Series.
The MLB The Show Players League begins on April 10 when Blake Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays play Amir Garrett and the Cincinnati Reds at 6 p.m. PT, with the matchup being streamed online here. In addition to Twitch, fans can watch live streams of games on YouTube, among other digital platforms.
MLB, the MLBPA, MLB The Show and each players’ Twitter accounts will share appropriate time and streaming information.
MLB Network host Robert Flores will provide commentary, recaps, analysis and conduct interviews throughout the course of the season, including before, during and after games, via MLB, MLB Network and PlayStation’s social media platforms.
MLB The Show Players League Participants
Jon Duplantier (Arizona Diamondbacks), Luke Jackson (Atlanta Braves), Dwight Smith Jr. (Baltimore Orioles), Eduardo Rodriguez (Boston Red Sox), Ian Happ (Chicago Cubs), Lucas Giolito (Chicago White Sox), Amir Garrett (Cincinnati Reds), Carlos Santana (Cleveland Indians), David Dahl (Colorado Rockies), Niko Goodrum (Detroit Tigers), Lance McCullers Jr. (Houston Astros).
Brett Phillips (Kansas City Royals), Ty Buttrey (Los Angeles Angels), Gavin Lux (Los Angeles Dodgers), Ryne Stanek (Miami Marlins), Josh Hader (Milwaukee Brewers), Trevor May (Minnesota Twins), Jeff McNeil (New York Mets), Tommy Kahnle (New York Yankees), Jesús Luzardo (Oakland Athletics).
Rhys Hoskins (Philadelphia Phillies), Cole Tucker (Pittsburgh Pirates), Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres), Hunter Pence (San Francisco Giants), Carl Edwards Jr. (Seattle Mariners), Matt Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals), Blake Snell (Tampa Bay Rays), Joey Gallo (Texas Rangers), Bo Bichette (Toronto Blue Jays) and Juan Soto (Washington Nationals).
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