Rather than outright cancelling games, the MLB is considering relocating matches that are virus-impacted to safer venues.
The MLB season is slated to begin on March 26, and the league will decide whether or not it’s safe to play in front of fans based on the city. A person familiar with the deliberations told The Associated Press that if a city is not safe, the league is thinking about switching games to the visiting team’s stadium. The source said that the league would prefer to play in front of fans and not empty stadiums, since players and management don’t like the lack of energy in empty ballparks.
At this time, determinations have not been made official.
One of the season openers is set to take place in Seattle for a game between the Rangers and Mariners. Already, Seattle has been hit hard by the virus with 24 deaths. Washington Governor Jay Inslee reportedly plans to ban gatherings of more than 250 people in the Seattle area, a person familiar with the decision told AP. This decision may cause the game to be moved to Texas or outright cancelled.
Earlier this week, Yahoo! Sports reported that a team official said there are “almost no scenarios in which the All-Star Game is played on the date it is scheduled.” The match is set to take place at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium on July 14. Additionally, White Sox employees told season ticket holders that fans should not worry about missing any games just yet.
