After one of the worst weeks the sport has had to endure, Major League Baseball has implemented a plan for the 2020 regular season. The game has been shut down for more than three months due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
It required MLB to cancel the remainder of Spring Training and initially the delay the start of the regular season by two weeks. The target Opening Day was pushed back a second time and then suspended indefinitely.
In order to arrive at this point, the Players Association had to agree to players being present for camps by July 1, and come to terms with MLB on health and safety protocols.
Spring Training 2.0 will be conducted at MLB stadiums, with player arrivals expected to be staggered with pitchers and catchers reporting first, then position players, much like the process in February.
Of course, the Dodgers had all of their players in camp at Camelback Ranch well before set report dates. That may not necessarily be an option this time around as MLB is working with public health experts, infectious disease specialists and technology providers on a comprehensive approach that aims to facilitate a safe return.
60-game regular season
Opening Day of the 60-game season is due to take place on Thursday, June 23, or June 24. It’s not beyond reason to believe MLB will have some teams play June 23 before all are on the field the following day.
“Major League Baseball is thrilled to announce that the 2020 season is on the horizon,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We have provided the Players Association with a schedule to play 60 games and are excited to provide our great fans with Baseball again soon.”
The schedule is expected to entail teams playing opponents in their division and against the opposite league’s corresponding geographical division as part of the effort to limit travel.
Thus, the Los Angeles Dodgers will face each NL West team 10 times, and also play games against the Houston Astros, L.A. Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.
Matchups with the American League West will amount to the Dodgers and Angels going head-to-head for six games, as MLB intends on Interleague being centered around ‘rivalry’ play. Of course, the more notable aspect is the Dodgers and Astros will meet for the first time since MLB’s findings of Houston electronically stealing signs during the 2017 World Series.
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