Due to the recent Coronavirus pandemic that has swept across the globe, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have come to the agreement that players are allowed to leave their training sites in Arizona and Florida and return to their club’s home city or return to their offseason homes. Opening day, which was originally scheduled for March 26, has been postponed for at least two weeks.
“This step is in the best interests of players, employees and the communities who host Spring Training,“ Major League Baseball announced via a statement Friday evening. “MLB will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts. We send our best wishes to all the individuals and communities who have been impacted by coronavirus.”
Some players have opted to stay near their spring training sites, including the entire New York Yankees squad, according to player representative Zack Britton.
A week ago, teams were advising players to limit contact with fans. Then media access was restricted on Tuesday. Then games were halted on Thursday. Now, players are departing camps completely, making the opening date all the more uncertain.
