Coronavirus

4:00pm: Minor League Baseball has formally announced the cancellation of its 2020 season.

12:15pm: The 2020 minor-league season will be canceled, according to a report from Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper and Josh Norris. While widely expected, the news comes as a major blow to the minor-league teams and many young players who were hopeful of continuing to chase after a coveted MLB roster spot.

This was already shaping up to be a rough campaign for the minors long before the coronavirus was on anyone’s radar. As 2019 came to a close, a tense and rather high-profile battle was already underway regarding MLB’s plans for cutting down on the number of minor-league affiliates.

Minor League Baseball’s effort to defend its member teams was greatly imperiled by the global pandemic. Public attention, for good reason, has been elsewhere. And minor-league teams have experienced a more-or-less complete halt to revenue.

A resumption of play might have helped. There were times when it seemed plausible, but any hope dissipated over recent weeks. Even as MLB and its players haggled over the terms for a big league resumption, a ramp-up of virus transmission in many parts of the United States served to increase the already great logistical challenges to a MiLB season.

We’ll see how the broader picture turns out. For now, it’s a rough situation for minors clubs that rely entirely upon in-person gameday revenue (and advertising associated with anticipated spectatorship).

The situation is obviously also detrimental to the players that are now sitting at home without a clear path to playing baseball in 2020. Some limited number of prospects — generally, those with clear paths to the majors — have been invited to participate in MLB summer camps and ongoing training. But those that weren’t named to 60-man player pools will have to get creative.

There is a potential indie ball outlet, but that’s not likely to provide many opportunities. The Baseball America team has reported that some players are participating in local amateur leagues, though the level of competition will obviously not be up to the typical standard. Fortunately, most MLB teams are committing at least to paying $400 weekly stipends to the minor-leaguers that are left in limbo. That’s a help, but hardly a full solution for those players that were not already cut loose from their organizations.

Major League Baseball has formalized a wave of rule changes and procedural protocols that have been widely reported upon and speculated upon over the past several months as the league and players union worked toward a return to play. The league also formally announced a July 3 return to training camp — now officially referred to as “Summer Camp” — and confirmed plans for July 23 or July 24 start to the regular season.

Among the changes that have now been put into place for at least the 2020 season, per the league’s press release:

On-Field Rules

• National League games will include the use of the designated hitter for the first time in history.
• An extra-innings rule will begin each extra inning with a runner on second base.
  • The batter (or a substitute for the batter) who leads off an inning shall continue to be the batter who would lead off the inning in the absence of this extra-innings rule.
  • The runner placed on second base at the start of each half-inning shall be the player (or a substitute for such player) in the batting order immediately preceding that half-inning’s leadoff hitter. By way of example, if the number five hitter in the batting order is due to lead off the tenth inning, the number four player in the batting order (or a pinchrunner for such player) shall begin the inning on second base.  However, if the player in the batting order immediately preceding that half-inning’s leadoff hitter is the pitcher, the runner placed on second base at the start of that half-inning may be the player preceding the pitcher in the batting order. Any runner or batter removed from the game for a substitute shall be ineligible to return to the game, as is the case in all circumstances under the OBR.
  • For purposes of calculating earned runs, the runner who begins an inning on second base pursuant to this rule shall be deemed to be a runner who has reached second base because of a fielding error, but no error shall be charged to the opposing team or to any player.
• As previously announced, the new three-batter minimum rule will require the starting or any relief pitcher to pitch to a minimum of three batters, including the batter then at bat (or any substitute batter), until such batters are put out or reach base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the substitute pitcher sustains injury or illness.
• Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in OBR 4.03(c) or MLR 2(b)(2), any player may appear as a pitcher at any point during the game (i.e., no extra inning requirements or six-run rule, as were once planned for 2020). However, all players eligible to participate in the game, regardless of position, must be included on that game’s lineup card.
• Prohibitions against unsportsmanlike conduct will be strictly enforced to prevent unnecessary physical contact and support physical distancing between individuals on the playing field. In this respect, players and managers should maintain physical distancing from all umpires and opposing players on the playing field whenever possible. Players or managers who leave their positions to argue with umpires, come within six feet of an umpire or opposing player or manager for the purpose of argument, or engage in altercations on the field are subject to immediate ejection and discipline, including fines and suspensions.

Procedures for Health and Safety

• Each Club must submit a written COVID-19 Action Plan for approval by MLB.
• Spitting is prohibited (including but not limited to, saliva, sunflower seeds or peanut shells, or tobacco) at all times in Club facilities (including on the field).  Chewing gum is permitted. 
• Pitchers may carry a small wet rag in their back pocket to be used for moisture in lieu of licking their fingers.
• Clubs must provide expanded dugout and bullpen space at their ballparks.
• Players, umpires, and other on-field personnel should practice physical distancing to the extent possible within the limitations of competition and the fundamentals of baseball. Examples of ways in which physical distancing can be incorporated without disrupting the basics of the game include:
  • When the ball is out of play, fielders are encouraged to retreat several steps away from the baserunner.
  • If the batter is in the batter’s box and the catcher needs to stand to relay signs to the infielders, the catcher can step onto the grass towards the mound to give the signs before assuming his position behind home plate.
  • First and Third Base Coaches should remain in or behind the Coach’s Box and shall not approach a baserunner, fielder or umpire on-field.
  • Players on opposite teams should not socialize, fraternize, or come within six feet of each other before the game, during warm-ups, in between innings, or after the game.
• There will be no pre-game exchange of lineup cards. Instead, each Club will input their lineup card into a mobile application provided by MLB.

Scheduling

• Clubs may schedule up to three exhibition games before the end of Summer Camp.  Clubs may consider scheduling games against their opening opponent in the days leading up to Opening Day.  There is no limit on the number of intrasquad games permitted.
• A regionally-based schedule will feature each Club playing 40 divisional games and 20 Interleague games against the corresponding geographical division. 

Revised Procedures for Transactions

• All player transactions that had been suspended resumed this past Friday. 
• Yesterday, each Club submitted a list of up to 60 players who will be eligible to participate in Major League games during the 2020 championship season (“Club Player Pool”).
• Roster rules include:
  • By 12:00 p.m. (ET) on the first date of the revised 2020 regular season, each Club must submit to MLB an Opening Day Active Roster with a maximum of 30 players, and a minimum of 25.
  • The maximum Active Roster limit shall be reduced from 30 to 28 on the 15^th day of the regular season.
  • The maximum Active Roster limit shall be reduced from 28 to 26 on the 29^th day of the championship season for the remainder of the championship season and postseason. There shall be no expanded rosters in September.
  • The limitations on the number of pitchers on the Active Roster otherwise required by MLR 2(b)(2) shall not apply.
  • In the event that a doubleheader takes place while the Active Roster limit is 26, both Clubs may use an additional player.
• A Club is permitted to carry up to three additional Taxi Squad players from its Club Player Pool on all road trips with the Major League team.  If the Club elects to carry three additional players, at least one must be a player whose designated position prior to the season is catcher.  Players on the Taxi Squad are permitted to workout with the Major League Club but are not permitted to be in uniform and in the dugout during games.  Upon the conclusion of each road trip, players on the Taxi Squad will return to the Alternate Training Site.
• August 31^st will be the 2020 trade deadline and September 15^th will be the 2020 Postseason eligibility deadline.
• Standard Injured List placements will be for either 10 days or 45 days, with the latter replacing 60.  A COVID-19 Related Injured List will allow for placements that will not require a confirmed positive test for COVID-19. A player may be placed on the COVID-19 Related IL based on a positive test for COVID-19, confirmed exposure to COVID-19, or if a player exhibits symptoms requiring self-isolation for further assessment.