MLB Has Multiple Contingency Plans For 2020 Season

MIAMI, FL — The only action Marlins Park has seen this season is as a drive-thru testing site for the new coronavirus, but that doesn't mean the 2020 season is officially lost to the health crisis.

Major League Baseball acknowledged Tuesday it has been considering multiple options to save the 2020 season.

“MLB has been actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so," league officials said in a statement.

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ESPN reported one plan would see all 30 teams play in fields scattered across the greater Phoenix area. Players, coaches and team personnel "would live in relative isolation" at hotels. The network said the plan "has the support of high-ranking federal public health officials" and would likely be the most unique season in baseball history.

"While we have discussed the idea of staging games at one location as one potential option, we have not settled on that option or developed a detailed plan," league officials insisted in the statement.

Officials said they continue to interact regularly with governmental and public health officials but have not sought or received approval of any plan from federal, state and local officials, or the Players Association.

"The health and safety of our employees, players, fans and the public at large are paramount, and we are not ready at this time to endorse any particular format for staging games in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the coronavirus," the MLB statement said.

Major League Baseball would become the first professional sport to return amid the coronavirus crisis if the league settles on a plan to play in May or June.

ESPN reported that a key component of any plan would be a robust COVID-19 testing process with a quick turnaround that would not adversely affect the public's access to testing.

Opening Day was scheduled to be March 26, but league officials shut down spring training two weeks earlier and indefinitely delayed the start of the season.

Patch editor Mike Carraggi contributed to this article.