Major League Baseball is expected to suspend spring training and likely will delay the beginning of the regular season due to the coronavirus outbreak, ESPN reported Thursday.
Once it’s made official, MLB would follow the NBA and Major League Soccer in taking this measure as COVID-19 spreads in the U.S.
Baseball’s opening day was scheduled for March 26.
After a conference call among owners this afternoon, Major League Baseball is expected to suspend spring training. The league likely will delay the beginning of the regular season as well. At this point, it’s a formality that ownership-level sources expect to happen.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 12, 2020
For anyone questioning MLB’s potentially suspending spring training, I’ll refer to David Price as he walked into the Dodgers’ facility about an hour ago: “It’s gotta happen. This is so much bigger than sports. I’ve got two kids.”
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 12, 2020
That feeling is shared by many, many in the game.
The Washington Nationals began playing their regularly-scheduled spring training game in Florida on Thursday afternoon despite the virus canceling other major sporting events like NBA games and NCAA conference basketball tournaments.
Bottom of the 1st here at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, the Nats and Yankees scoreless … and still playing. https://t.co/y06gppOm6w
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) March 12, 2020
The NHL has not yet announced whether it will follow this measure as of Thursday afternoon.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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