Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Major League Baseball joined a long list of professional sports leagues that temporarily suspended operations to protect the health of athletes, team employees and fans.
The decision to shut down shop resulted in all remaining Spring Training games being cancelled, as well as a delay to the start of the regular season. Opening Day was initially postponed by two weeks, but it has since been pushed back until the middle of May — at the earliest — after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged against large gatherings.
While resuming play in mid-May is viewed as a best-case scenario, many expect baseball’s hiatus to continue into June and perhaps even July.
To fill the void of Opening Day last Thursday, MLB re-aired a combination of classic and recent matchups on MLB Network and across the league’s social media platforms.
Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Max Muncy described what makes Opening Day so special while noting how difficult it was to see the festivities postponed to a later date, via the “Petros and Money Show”:
“It’s been pretty tough. Opening Day is one of those things where there’s not really anything else like it. For us, it’s Christmas Day. It’s kind of better than Christmas Day. To not have it this year has been pretty disappointing so far. But at some point there will be an Opening Day, so we’ll be able to get that. It’s just not happening when we want it.
“It’s kind of hard to put into words. But for every single team in the league there’s a chance at winning the World Series on that day. No one has lost a game yet, no one’s won a game yet. Everything is even. It’s the start of a season, you’re not sure what you’re going to have yet, and most importantly it’s just gettin things going after a long layoff. Obviously, there’s Spring Training leading up to it, but Spring Training is never the same as an actual game.”
While it was disappointing that Opening Day couldn’t take place as scheduled last week, the hope is that there will be some form of a season this year. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred ruled out a 162-game schedule, but wants to make up as many of them as possible.
Like Muncy, Clayton Kershaw was saddened the by the original Opening Day date passing without baseball being played.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram! It’s the best way to see exclusive coverage from games and events, get your questions answered, and more!
