It’s no sure thing the 2020 MLB season will even happen, but if it does things will look a little more different than normal.
As the league reportedly prepares to present a restart plan to the players’ union next week, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman on Friday listed some of the changes that could take place.
More possible MLB changes for 2020: limited travel, no x-county flights, more divisional play, expanded rosters, taxi squads, expanded playoffs, more experiments (runner on 2B in extra innings?), more doubleheaders, fewer off days, high-fiving/spitting discouraged or forbidden.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 8, 2020
Pretty much all of these ideas have been floated around over the recent weeks, and frankly none of them are totally surprising.
A divisional realignment plan by region has been bandied about already, which in turn would limit or outright eliminate cross-country or particularly lenghty flights. Expanded roster and/or taxi squads would become imperative, especially without a full-fledged spring training and the possibility of minor league seasons getting scrapped.
In short, the league is going to have to be willing to step out of its comfort zone and get creative if it wants to have a season. And in due course, we’ll see just how far both sides are willing to get a little crazy.
