It’s the new normal. The 2020 MLB season is slated to start in less than two weeks amid a growing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
The new normal includes American citizens being barred from traveling to the European Union and other parts of the world, Canada included. The United States northern neighbor did make an exception by allowing a majority of Toronto Blue Jays players into Canada to train for the start of the season.
There’s a big caveat to this.
Blue Jays players actually face a fine and jail time should they leave the team facility
That really is the harsh reality of the situation in the United States right now. Canada has seen a total of 107,00 COVID-19 cases since March 11. The United States has had more confirmed virus cases in the past two days alone. Sure America is a much more populous nation, but this is troubling.
It makes sense that Canada doesn’t want to put its citizens in harm’s way and risk a potential outbreak of the virus.
COVID-19 and the 2020 MLB season
The backdrop here is real. As cases continue to grow in major hot spots such as California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, there’s a growing concern about the season starting July 23.
Teams are having issues when it comes to receiving result of COVID-19 tests, resulting in Spring Training 2.0 being halted for some squads.
Star MLB players opt out of 2020 season
Former NL MVP Buster Posey became the latest star player to opt out of the season. The San Francisco Giants star made the decision in large part because he just adopted two newborn girls. He does not want to put them in harm’s way.
Posey joins Los Angeles Dodgers star David Price as well as multiple members of the Washington Nationals in deciding to sit out the 2020 MLB season.