Home » Features of MLB Season Restart

Features of MLB Season Restart

Publish Date: June 27, 2020

Baseball is back.

Months of grueling negotiations between Major League Baseball and the Players Association have come to an end. Players will report to training camps by this Friday, July 3. This all comes after player representatives voted on Monday against MLB’s final proposal for a season.

Instead, Commissioner Rob Manfred has mandated a 60-game season which will open around July 24 and conclude in late September. The normal playoff structure will remain the same and last through the month of October. But what other changes this season see?

Features of 2020 Restart

All teams will use a universal DH this season. All extra innings will begin with a runner on second base. Health and safety protocols will prohibit contact between players (high-fives, hugs, etc.). New baseballs will be put in play after multiple players touch them. Fights are prohibited. Players coming within five feet of an umpire will be ejected.

And a host of other changes.

Not all these requirements will be easy to implement. In fact, several would prove difficult for umpires and MLB officials to monitor without painstaking observation. Still, a 2020 MLB season seems primed to start, against all odds. It all comes back to the fact that players, fans, and executives cannot endure 18 months without baseball.

MLB Restart Features

Mound visits are unlikely to occur this season Courtesy of Fox16

Yet as Jason Hill Jr. wrote earlier this week for TGH, MLB seems to be operating with a ‘baseball-first-and-health-and-safety-later’ approach. Yes, there are protocols for what happens when a player tests positive for COVID-19. A newly created COVID-19 injured list would house the player for as long as needed. Players cannot return from this list until they have tested negative for the virus at least twice. That still doesn’t make the solution foolproof.

Teams will play each of their divisional opponents 10 times during the 60 games. The teams in each club’s divisional twin will also add 20 games to the schedule in interleague play (ex. NL East vs. AL East). Games will still be played in major league ballparks. Teams will still travel to away cities.

That means teams like the Seattle Mariners could end up traveling cross-country to play the Houston Astros. Or the Boston Red Sox could travel to St. Petersburg to play the Tampa Bay Rays. Nevermind that Florida is a current hotspot of COVID-19 cases.

Does a Season Make Sense?

Put simply, MLB is doing everything in its power to make this year seem like “business as usual.” Unfortunately, for fans who have waited months for any announcement of a season, they know this couldn’t be further from the truth.

In describing this atmosphere, it becomes that much harder to rationalize the necessity of these risks. It is difficult to believe anyone will place the same value in a 2020 World Series championship as they did in 2019’s winner. Plus, some players sitting out over health concerns are still likely. All this doesn’t even consider the Toronto Blue Jays, who will have more hurdles to navigate this season than most.

Fans will find out in time whether this slew of changes will produce any sort of meaningful season. But for now, they all hope these changes work out for the better.

MLB writer Anthony Castrovince addresses other questions on the coming season here.

 

You can “Like” The Game Haus on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from other great TGH writers along with David!

“From Our Haus to Yours”

Leave A Reply

* required
Read Also
With History being Made in the AL East, should the MLB change?
With history being made in the AL East with every team on ...
MLB Power Rankings June 19
Every week MLB teams will be ranked for the rest of the ...
MLB Power Rankings June 12
Every week MLB teams will be ranked for the rest of the ...
MLB Power Rankings: June 5
Every week MLB teams will be ranked for the rest of the ...
MLB Power Rankings – May 29
Every week MLB teams will be ranked for the rest of the ...
The Game Haus aims to bring unbiased, factually sound opinions to audiences across a range of mediums that are not readily accessible in the day-to-day media outlets. We cover the latest news in Gaming, Call of Duty, CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Fighting Games, NBA 2K, Halo, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Pokemon, Rocket League, Smite, Starcraft II, Fantasy Sports, MLS, EPL, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NCAAB, NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and PGA.


Next to our unbiased coverage for esports and sports, have a look at our iGaming content. If you are looking for the most recommended Esports Betting Sites or Best Sports Betting Sites, look no further. We also cover the Best Sweepstakes Casinos in our free 2 play section and have a closer look at the Best DFS Sites out there. If you are looking for some real money options, check how we ranked the Best Online Casinos.


Follow us on Social Media for updates!
Sports: Facebook | Twitter
Esports: Facebook | Twitter

Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.

×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Play now