More On: Coronavirus
Joe Biden Tests Positive for Wuhan Coronavirus Again
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers Fined for Violating COVID-19 Protocols
Shailene Woodley Defends Aaron Amid Rumored COVID-19 Quarantine Outings
Howard Stern: Aaron Rodgers Should Be Fired for 'Bulls--t' Vaccine Comments
Emilio Estevez Denies Being Anti-Vax After Exiting 'Mighty Ducks' Series
Baseball might return to New York this summer, but if spring training resumes, both the Yankees and Mets are expected to be at their sites in Florida, according to sources. While New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that the state would support professional teams’ efforts to reopen their facilities and hold games without fans this …
Baseball might return to New York this summer, but if spring training resumes, both the Yankees and Mets are expected to be at their sites in Florida, according to sources.
While New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that the state would support professional teams’ efforts to reopen their facilities and hold games without fans this season as the number of coronavirus cases falls locally, New York City has not yet hit all the markers to reopen completely.
Major League Baseball and the Players Association are still trying to come to an agreement about how to start the season, with questions remaining about health and safety, as well as economics.
If they are able to strike a deal by June 1, a spring training 2.0 might begin by mid-June, with the regular season opening on July 1.
All MLB teams have the option of having their roughly three-week spring training at their home parks or spring facilities.
With the Yankees in Tampa and the Mets in Port St. Lucie, both teams would have multiple fields to use at once. However, they would also have to deal with oppressive Florida summer heat and rainstorms.
And the teams would have to institute whatever health guidelines are mandated by any agreement struck between the league and the union.
Several Mets and Yankees have remained in Florida during the pandemic, with Yankees hitting coach Marcus Thames working with Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu, among others.
The hope is to eventually play a schedule about half of the standard length, ideally at the 30 teams’ home ballparks — something Cuomo welcomed this week.
“I … have been encouraging major sports teams to plan reopenings without fans. But the games could be televised,” Cuomo said Monday. “New York State will help those major sports franchises to do just that. Hockey, basketball, baseball, football, whoever can reopen. We’re a ready, willing and able partner.”
