As Major League Baseball was evaluating options to begin the 2020 regular season, early scenarios centered around creating a bubble. The first option was to do so in Arizona, then other plans involved utilizing Florida and Texas as well.
However, multiple players, including longtime Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, pushed back against potentially being isolated away from family for several months. MLB and the Players Association quickly abandoned a bubble concept and soon began negotiating financial terms for 2020.
They failed to agree on a pay structure, leaving a March 26 deal in place and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred imposing a 60-game season. The schedule was predicated on regions in effort to limit travel amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Despite various efforts to ensure player safety, the Miami Marlins experienced an outbreak over the weekend. It’s put the Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies and their opponents this week into a state of limbo, though MLB team owners largely did not discuss a contingency plan for the season, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
There will be additional priority testing for teams who have an outbreak, MLB officials say, but no serious talks as of yet cancelling or pausing the season. In the words of one owner on the conference call: "Obviously, the situation is fluid.''
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 27, 2020
This was the regularly scheduled Monday owners' call and several #MLB owners insist there was no talk of cancelling the season during their discussions.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 27, 2020
Per multiple reports, the reason behind Jorge Alfaro being placed on the injured list last Friday was due to contracting the virus. Then on Sunday, three more Marlins players were said to have produced a positive result as well. Their game with the Phillies nonetheless was carried on with.
By Monday morning, an additional seven Marlins players and two coaches were said to have tested positive. Miami’s home opener with the Baltimore Orioles was postponed, and Tuesday’s game is unlikely to be played as well.
Dodgers comfortable with first road trip
After splitting a four-game homestand, the Dodgers are scheduled to depart Monday for the start of a nine-game road trip.
“Certainly it’s unknown, but understanding we’re not flying commercial. All the people flying with us are Tier 1. Going from the airplane to the hotel, food will be delivered and brought to us individually on the plane,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said over the weekend.
“We’ll get to Houston and eat individually packaged meals there. I expect everyone to stay in the hotel and then go to the ballpark. And sort of go from the ballpark to the hotel, hotel to the ballpark. I’m encouraged. I think we’ll be fine.”
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