Major League Baseball and the players’ union finally agreed to a deal for a 60-game season beginning next month, but not all players will hit the field amid the coronavirus pandemic.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, only players who are considered to be at “high risk” of infection may opt-out of the 2020 campaign and receive their full prorated salary.
There’s been no word on who will be considered “high risk,” but players who have preexisting medical conditions likely will be among the group of players who can opt out.
MLB players are set to report to training camps on July 1 with Opening Day being held on July 23 or 24. Here are some of the specifics outlined by ESPN’s Jeff Passan:
- Teams will play their four divisional opponents 10 times and each of the five interleague opponents in the same geographical area four games apiece.
- The National League will use a designated hitter.
- In extra innings, teams will begin with a runner on second base.
- The trade deadline will be Aug. 31, which is before the regular season is scheduled to end.
- Rosters will start at 30 players for the first two weeks then go to 28 for the next two weeks and stay at 26 for the remainder of the season.
- Teams will have a taxi squad that allows them to have as many as 60 players available to play in major league games.
- There will be a COVID-19 injured list with no minimum or maximum length of time spent on it, while standard injured list stints will be for 10 days and the typical 60-day stint will instead be for 45 days.
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By Erin Walsh | Last updated 6/24/20
