Though MLB is still negotiating with the players union for a restarted season plan, the league now has a more immediate problem on its hands. After at least 12 people tested positive at spring training sites, MLB has decided to shut down those sites and send teams to train at their home stadiums.
According to USA Today writer Bob Nightengale, every MLB team except the Toronto Blue Jays will return to their home stadiums for the duration of training. The Blue Jays will likely remain in Florida, as Canada still has travel restrictions in place.
This change in course comes after a week that saw five Philadelphia Phillies players and one Houston Astros player all tested positive for coronavirus, leading to the shutdowns of the spring training sites. Those sites will reportedly undergo a “deep clean” before teams will be allowed to return.
Arizona and Florida, home of the spring training sites, have been among the leading states in terms of rising coronavirus counts, so perhaps MLB is hoping to disperse teams in order to lower the chances of a wider spread. However, those two states plus Texas currently house five teams total, and the three states have seen huge spikes in positive cases over the recent weeks. So, even if the league and the players agree on a plan, the danger of the coronavirus pandemic has not disappeared.
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Read the full story at USA Today
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