UPDATE (10:40 p.m. ET): Major League Baseball reportedly will indeed be closing down all 30 spring training sites for deep cleaning.
This will go into effect immediately. https://t.co/f2i7wQwH6Z
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 20, 2020
As Post reported earlier that MLB was strongly considering, the league is indeed closing all 30 spring camps in Fla/Az for deep cleaning. All personnel will have to take a COVID-19 test to re-enter.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 20, 2020
MLB and the PA have yet to ratify health/safety protocols for return, but MLB is hoping to reopen camps early next week and want for the personnel who return to unofficial workouts at the facilities to do COVID test every 2 days
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 20, 2020
There is one exception, however.
This apparently doesn’t apply to Marlins Park. Marlins players are working out there. https://t.co/tKiuF5e83q
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 20, 2020
ORIGINAL STORY: Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Florida and Arizona, the two states Major League Baseball has spring training facilities.
And it’s reportedly becoming a concern.
Both the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays closed their facilities Friday after staff and players tested positive for COVID-19. And now the league reportedly is considering closing all 30 sites to reevaluate how to test players.
According to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, “MLB is strongly considering closing all 30 camps again to cleanse and re-establish a system in which players will test regularly when they return. Right now there is not a firm protocol for players using the facilities.”
Source: with 3 camps having to close today due to COVID-19, MLB is strongly considering closing all 30 camps again to cleanse and re-establish a system in which players will test regularly when they return. Right now there is not a firm protocol for players using the facilities.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 19, 2020
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported teams are “anxious to get the health and safety protocol” as quickly as possible, and reportedly will discuss the topic Friday night, per USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale.
There are MLB teams anxious to get the health and safety protocol ASAP, to give themselves the best possible chance to keep staffers/players healthy. MLB/PA still talking.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) June 19, 2020
MLB executives and union representatives are discussing health and safety protocols tonight in the wake of three spring-training camps being shut down today because of COVID-19.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 19, 2020
Both the league and the Players’ Association have been at odds about how to start the shortened 2020 season. But Friday’s news may add another wrinkle in games starting at all this summer.
