As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic remains a substantial issue, Major League Baseball is attempting to get its 2020 season completed and hopes to follow it with an expanded postseason.
While there hasn’t been cause for another shutdown yet, the start of the season hasn’t exactly been some either as both the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals were forced to postpone a couple of weeks worth of games due to organizational coronavirus outbreaks.
A Cincinnati Reds player also reportedly recently tested positive, although indications are everyone else in the organization is negative.
Because of these outbreaks, the Marlins and Cardinals organizations have been forced to scrap a roster together using players from their 60-man pool or acquisitions from outside the roster.
When MLB decided to cancel the Minor League season altogether, that left teams in a tough spot as they only had 60 players at their disposal for the entire 2020 season. Additionally, it was also difficult on those Minor League players, who already don’t make much money, as they were left out of a job for a season.
It appears that could be changing, as MLB reportedly is considering expanding team player pools, according to Josh Norris of Baseball America:
Sources have indicated to Baseball America that MLB is considering allowing teams to add roughly 15 additional players to their player pools.
The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t had to dip too far into their 60-man player pool this season as they’ve avoided coronavirus outbreaks and serious injuries. This change likely wouldn’t affect them all that much.
What it would do though is allow more of their prospects to get some work in at the team’s alternate training site at USC, as opposed to sitting at home for the remainder of the year.
Roberts in favor of roster rule change
One other rule change that MLB decided on in the middle of the season is that active rosters will now remain at 28 players for the rest of the year as opposed to going down to 26 as originally planned. Taxi squads were also increased to five players as a part of the change.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his appreciation for the league and MLB Players Association coming together to make the change.
“I think they got it right, Major League Baseball and the Players Association,” Roberts recently said. “I think that getting it down to 28 makes it more of baseball that we know, so there’s not as much matching up potential. And the extra taxi squad I think gives everyone coverage, so I think they nailed it.”
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