40 MLB Players & Staff Test Positive For COVID-19
Major League Baseball fans may have to hold out a little longer. It has been reported that last week, 40 members of the MLB and staff members have contracted the virus. The identities of the athletes and staff have not been revealed, but this will likely put a huge damper on the upcoming season planned.
The MLB had previously announced that their 60 game season will begin by the end of July either on the 23rd or 24th. Players were expected to begin training at MLB training camps at the start of July, and the Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association were in the midst of discussing how they wanted the 2020 season to look. The MLB had stated they were committed to working with health officials, however their lack of concrete rules and constraints for their training and season may be their downfall.
There are a couple issues the MLB will have to be weary of. For one, nearly 2,000 players will be set to train at training camps, many of which, will have to fly from other states or internationally. Furthermore, many of the states that MLB players come from, such as Florida and California, have been in the news lately for the up tick in Corona-virus cases. In fact this has already been a cause for action. The MLB had announced that due to the rise in cases, all training sites located in Florida and Arizona would be shut down to avoid the spread of the disease. They would then be subject to deep cleaning and would only reopen upon completion of safety inspections. The players would be constantly tested and monitored to ensure that they are not infected, but overall it is not looking optimistic for an MLB season at the end of July.