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MLB says it will delay the start of the regular season

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Major League Baseball has officially suspended all Spring Training games and delayed the 2020 regular season amid the national emergency.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the immediate suspension of all remaining Spring Training games and a delay to the 2020 regular season start date of at least two weeks. Effective at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12, the decision follows an emergency conference call with all 30 team owners to address the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic.

• The 2020 regular season, originally slated for an Opening Day of March 26, is officially pushed back by at least 14 days.
• Minor League Baseball has officially postponed its Opening Day, which was previously scheduled for April 9.
• The league has suspended all World Baseball Classic qualifying games indefinitely in response to the public health crisis.

The Shift in Professional Sports

The league’s directive arrives in the wake of a swift series of cancellations across the North American sports landscape. On the evening of March 11, the NBA suspended its season indefinitely after a player tested positive for the virus. By the afternoon of March 12, the NHL and Major League Soccer had followed suit, while major NCAA conferences canceled their basketball tournaments. MLB’s official statement emphasized that the action was taken in the interests of the safety and well-being of players, club personnel, and millions of fans.

The sports world is living the crisis minute-by-minute.

Uncertainty at Spring Training Sites

The atmosphere at team facilities in Florida and Arizona has shifted from routine preparation to indefinite uncertainty. Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black described the situation as “extremely, extremely wild,” noting that players and staff are attempting to process the rapid changes in real-time. As of the afternoon of March 12, no specific makeup dates or revised schedules have been established by the league. Teams are currently awaiting further guidance from the commissioner’s office regarding daily operations and whether players should remain at their respective spring training sites.

With Opening Day tentatively pushed back to no earlier than April 9, every club is currently waiting on the commissioner’s office to dictate if players will maintain individual conditioning at camp or disperse until the league confirms a path forward.