It has been nearly two months since Major League Baseball temporarily suspended operations due to concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. And while six weeks of the regular season have been lost, the belief is that a 2020 campaign can still be salvaged in some form.
Over that span of time, MLB has discussed a plethora of scenarios with the Players Association. Talks are said to be reaching a critical point, as momentum is building toward a plan that would allow teams to play games in their home stadiums this year.
Beyond that, there are more questions than answers as to what a potential 2020 campaign may look like. With a desire to make up as many games as possible, the regular season could be extended into late October.
MLB might also explore the possibility of eliminating the 2020 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. A decision on this front has yet to be determined, via Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times:
A league spokesman said Thursday that “no decision” had been made about the All-Star game.
Last month, Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten acknowledged that it was possible the scheduled Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium could be postponed or cancelled.
The game could hypothetically still take place on July 14, but almost certainly without fans in attendance. Thus, postponing the exhibition contest to a later date is widely believed to be the likely outcome.
However, recent comments from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti make it difficult to envision the 2020 MLB All-Star Game being played at Dodger Stadium this year.
If the 2020 MLB All-Star Game is cancelled altogether, the earliest in which it could be held at Dodger Stadium is 2022. The 2021 Midsummer Classic has already been awarded to the Atlanta Braves.
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