It was only two weeks ago Major League Baseball moved to cancel all remaining Spring Training games and delay the start of the 2020 season until at least April 9 in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Plenty has changed in that short span, including Opening Day being pushed back a second time. Originally scheduled for Thursday, fans who circled March 26 on their calendar have instead been left to search for alternative means to fill the void.
MLB Network is airing games throughout the day, MLB launched an ‘#OpeningDayAtHome’ campaign, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are poised to stream their 2019 Opening Day game. When MLB returns is unclear.
Commissioner Rob Manfred has ruled out playing a 162-game season, but nonetheless remains confident in getting in a significant number of contests.
As the wait for baseball and sports in general continues, Manfred wrote a letter to fans, urging them to channel their passion for Opening Day into doing their part to contain the coronavirus spread:
Dear Baseball Fans,
Opening Day holds an important place in our hearts. It signifies the arrival of spring, the promise of new beginnings, the return of following your favorite team on a long journey filled with twists and turns, and the hope that your team will put together a magical season you will remember forever.
Today is unlike any Opening Day in Major League Baseball’s long history. We need to call on the optimism that is synonymous with Opening Day and the unflinching determination required to navigate an entire baseball season to help us through the challenging situation currently facing us all.
We can do this together by following the direction of our public health experts and government officials to collectively address this global pandemic. Baseball will return, just as soon as it’s safe to do so. You can find helpful information at MLB.com/covid19resources.
I’m proud of how the baseball community has rallied to respond to this unprecedented challenge. In a short period of time under difficult and rapidly changing circumstances, we have met the needs of Minor League players by creating a level of uniform compensation for them, made a $1 million joint donation with the MLBPA to Feeding America and Meals on Wheels America, and our Clubs have committed $30 million to ballpark employees. In addition, we will be shining a light on worthy charities that are involved with the COVID-19 response. If you are able to help, you can make contributions to these organizations at MLB.com/give.
While we aren’t on the field today, there still will be plenty of baseball for you to watch. In addition to programming on MLB Network, ESPN2, and FS1, we have made thousands of games available for free to you through MLB.TV, MLB.com, and MLB’s YouTube accounts. We also are hosting Opening Day at Home, a selection of 30 memorable games, one for each Club, that you can enjoy today across MLB’s digital platforms. While we wait for players to take the field, I hope this brings us together as fans and engages us in conversation through social media.
Throughout our history, baseball has helped us get through difficult times. Baseball will continue to be here for you as we face these challenges together as a community and we look forward to when we can safely get back on the field and hear the words, “Play Ball.”
Stay Safe and Healthy,
Rob
As MLB faces uncertainty in the days and weeks ahead, some players have reportedly already shown a willingness to accept doubleheaders becoming a regular part of the schedule. In addition to playing multiple games in one day, the playoffs may need to be staged at neutral sites if the season is to run late into fall.
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