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MLB to allow each team three ‘spring training’ games next month

The Athletics and Giants take part in a Spring Training game.
Feb 23, 2020; Mesa, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Abiatal Avelino (46) scores a run against the Oakland Athletics during a spring training game at HohoKam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

After being suspended since all the way back in March, the 2020 MLB regular season is expected to get going in less than a month.

While there’s still a lot to work out from a logistical standpoint, the plan seems to be coming together.

MLB to allow teams three spring training games before Opening Day

As the report notes, games would be played against opponents in the same geographical area. The San Francisco Giants taking on the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets going up against the New York Yankees being two obvious examples.

What is the schedule for spring training 2.0?

Teams will be able to start training at their home facilities on July 1. They’ll then be able to schedule three exhibition games against a local team. The expectation is that Opening Day will consist of a nationally televised doubleheader with the New York Yankees almost guaranteed to take part on July 23.

The 2020 regular season will consist of 60 games with teams primarily taking on other squads in their division and within their region.

Concerns over spread of COVID-19 around MLB world

We’ve now seen multiple teams impacted by the virus here in the past week-plus. The latest example being the Minnesota Twins.

Given how the virus is spreading in highly-populated regions of the United States, there’s no guarantee that baseball will resume late next month. It’s all about widespread testing, tracing and flattening the curve.

While Major League Baseball has a plan for the first two items, the United States remains the epicenter of COVID-19 in the world. That has to be concerning.

As it relates to high-risk players, Major League Baseball has given them the ability to opt out of the season. That’s no small thing given the uptick in cases over the past week or so.

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