COVID-19 Roundup: Players Green Light MLB’s Return

This is the latest installment of a series in which the FanGraphs staff rounds up the latest developments regarding the COVID-19 virus’ effect on baseball.

Players Agree to Health Protocols, Will Report to Camp by July 1

Major League Baseball and the Players Association reached an agreement Tuesday regarding the health and safety guidelines that will govern the 2020 baseball season amid the coronavirus pandemic, officially clearing the path for a season to begin. Owners acted on Monday to implement a 60-game season at full pro-rated pay for players, after the union rejected a proposal over the weekend that, among other things, would have expanded the playoffs and asked players to waive their right to file a grievance. Players will begin training camp by July 1, and the start of the regular season is expected July 23 or 24.

My colleague Craig Edwards already wrote up the agreement here, so I’ll just briefly note some of the highlights. Games will be held in each team’s home stadiums without fans. Teams will play only against teams inside their division as well as teams in the other league’s corresponding geographic division, in an effort to lessen travel. There will be a designated hitter in both leagues, a new extra innings format in which each team starts the inning with a runner at second base, and 30-man active rosters that gradually shrink as the season progresses. The trade deadline will be August 31, and the deadline for a player to be eligible for the postseason roster is September 15. Pitchers will be allowed to, well, here, you read it.

Proposed MLB rule changes for 2020:

* Implementation of DH in both leagues
* Extra innings start with runner on second base
* No limits on position players pitching
* Pitchers can have wet rag in pocket as substitute for licking fingers
* Three-batter minimum still stands

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 23, 2020

If you’ve been suffering through three months of public finger-pointing over economic distrust, dead-on-arrival proposals, and general dread over what the future of baseball holds, all of this qualifies as good news to some degree. But while it is a positive development that salary disagreements won’t cancel the 2020 season, that’s not what suspended it in the first place — a pandemic did. And that pandemic is still very much a threat. States like Florida and Texas, which host multiple MLB teams and were among the first to loosen stay-at-home restrictions, are still seeing a catastrophic increase in their new daily cases. And as extensive as MLB’s safety protocols are, there is still a troubling amount we don’t know, from how the league will enforce its guidelines to how many positive tests it would take to result in a ballpark or team getting shut down.

Players agreeing to show up and owners agreeing to pay them for doing so is nowhere near the last hurdle to clear in order for a full season to take place. Still, it appeared for at least a little while that we’d never get this far in the first place. That’s a small victory in a year where they’ve been hard to come by.

Charlie Blackmon Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Outfielder Charlie Blackmon was one of three Colorado Rockies players to test positive for coronavirus, making him the first major leaguer known to have the virus. Rockies minor leaguers Phillip Diehl and Ryan Castellani also tested positive.

The three players were among several who have been using Coors Field for workouts this month, according to the Denver Post’s report. All other players who shared the facility with them have tested negative for the virus.

The Rockies were not the only team to report cases this week, as the Phillies on Tuesday reported four more members of their organization — two players and two staff members — tested positive, but did not disclose any individual names in deference to the privacy of those affected. Philadelphia was forced to shutter its spring complex on Friday after an outbreak was first made known, and has now confirmed 12 total cases in the organization.

… And So Do A Bunch Of Other Athletes

Men’s tennis star Novak Djokovic confirmed that he and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus following a week in which he hosted an exhibition tournament without social distancing measures in place and was caught partying at a crowded Serbian nightclub. Three other tennis players who competed in his tournament have also tested positive in recent days.

Also in Serbia, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was reported to have tested positive after spending time with Djokovic last week. His positive test has delayed his return to Denver to begin training for the NBA’s re-opening, though he is expected back within the next week.

On the PGA side, Cameron Champ became the second tour player in five days to test positive for COVID-19, after Nick Watney received a positive test on Friday.

Minor League Teams Suing Insurance Companies Over Business Interruption Claims

A total of 15 minor league baseball teams are suing insurance providers for breach of contract after they were denied assistance for business interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an AP report.

The report names the Chattanooga Lookouts, August Green Jackets, Boise Hawks, Columbia Fireflies, Eugene Emeralds, Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Fort Wayne Tin Caps, Frederick Keys, Greenville Drive, Idaho Falls Chukars, Inland Empire 66ers, Amarillo Sod Poodles, San Antonio Missions, Stockton Ports and Delmarva Shorebirds as teams filing the suit. From the AP:

Teams say providers are citing two reasons for denying claims — because losses are not resulting from direct physical loss or damage to property, or because policies include language excluding coverage for loss or damage caused by viruses.

Teams say the loss of use of their ballparks due to government restrictions on fan gatherings and their inability to obtain players qualifies as physical loss. They allege the latter clause is void because it’s unenforceable and inapplicable.

The minor league season has been suspended since March, and likely faces formal cancellation now that a plan for the resumption of the major league season has been hammered out.

New York City Marathon Canceled

The New York Times has reported that the New York City Marathon, originally scheduled to hold its 50th annual race in November, has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.

The marathon’s typical course spans all five boroughs and usually attracts 50,000 runners, 10,000 volunteers, and a million spectators. This is the second time it has been canceled, with the first time coming in 2012 in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Among other major marathons, the Boston Marathon already canceled its race last month, while the London and Chicago marathons have yet to make decisions on their own races scheduled for the fall.

Tri-State Governors Announce Travel Restrictions

Earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that travelers coming from areas of the country with significant community spread of COVID-19 will have to quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut:

I am announcing with @GovMurphy and @GovNedLamont a joint travel advisory. All individuals traveling from states with significant community spread of COVID into NY, NJ, or CT must quarantine for 14 days.

This travel advisory is effective midnight tonight.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 24, 2020

And lest you think the quarantine is a mere suggestion:

Cuomo says the quarantine isn't just voluntary. People will be fined if they are found to have broken it.

— Nick Reisman (@NickReisman) June 24, 2020

For their part, the Yankees and Mets had this to say:

Statement from the New York Yankees & New York @Mets: pic.twitter.com/Ua0ASfgjj8

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 24, 2020

While Lindsey Adler of The Athletic offered this:

Statement from the Yankees and Mets on players returning to New York. Players will all have an intake screening test before reporting to camp, which includes temp check, covid, and antibody testing. Players will self-quarantine until they get the results. pic.twitter.com/oOfjS9vHP8

— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) June 24, 2020

How long the restriction will remain in affect is unclear, but it could complicate regular season travel and game-play as well.