The league, which did not allow fans inside of the ballpark for any of the regular season games played, is set to sell 11,500 tickets per game for these matchups, which equates to a 25% capacity of the Texas Rangers’ new stadium.

Globe Life Park, which has yet to see any paying fans enter the stadium in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced games to be played behind closed doors, will be used as a sort of experiment for baseball as they look to safely allow at least some fans inside of stadiums.

The ALCS, which will be played at Petco Park in San Diego, will not allow fans in the stadium due to more restrictive COVID-19 regulations in the state of California.

Fans will reportedly be seated in a socially-distanced “checkerboard” pattern which will allow for sufficient safety precautions to be taken. The tickets will be available for a mixed group of people, including Rangers season ticket holders, players’ family members, and the general public.

The NLCS is set to kick off on on Monday, October 12th and the World Series will start on Tuesday, October 20th.

The post MLB to Allow a Limited Number of Fans for NLCS, World Series Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Jays, learned last Friday that they would need to find a place within the United States to play, had been rumored to be considering their triple-A affiliate’s park in Buffalo, New York as well as their Dunedin, Florida Spring Training facility for this year’s games. However, reports soon followed that both facilities were deficient in terms of locker room space and lighting.

This meant that the Blue Jays have had to look at other options, and the idea of playing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and sharing the Pirates’ stadium with the Buccos is a possibility which is attractive for various reasons.

PNC Park is considered one of the best stadiums in all of professional sports, and COVID-19 cases in the Pittsburgh area are currently much lower than in other Major League cities.

“This will be a monumental challenge for our staff, but leaning in to help others is what Pittsburghers do best. If we are able to safely accommodate, not only will it bring additional international attention to our city, it will also bring with it jobs and revenue for local hotels, restaurants and other businesses that will support the Blue Jays organization as well as additional visiting teams,” said Pirates president Travis Williams when asked about the possibility of the Jays sharing their home stadium with them.

Toronto is running out of time to settle on its Plan B choice, with their home opener coming up on July 29.

The post Blue Jays Reportedly Considering Sharing PNC Park With Pirates For 2020 Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

However, against all odds, Freeman returned to training with his team on Friday after testing negative twice for the virus, and appears to be on track to play on Opening Day.

News had broken in early July that Freeman, a four-time NL All Star, was separated from the team with COVID-19 symptoms and a high fever after testing positive. On Friday, the star first baseman revealed that he was truly afraid for his life during his bout with the coronavirus.

Reflecting on the night in which he was most ill, Freeman revealed that he had dealt with a fever of 104.5 F. He said, “I said a little prayer that night. I’ve never been that hot before. My body was really, really hot. … I said ‘Please don’t take me’ because I wasn’t ready.”

Fortunately, Freeman’s body fought off the virus and only a couple of weeks later, he returned to participate in practices and intrasquad scrimmages with his teammates.

He expects to play in the Braves’ opener on July 24th against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

The post Braves Expect Star 1B Freddie Freeman to Be Ready For Opening Day appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Gregorius, who has been classified as a “high-risk player” due to a kidney disease and could have opted out of this season and been paid, will instead just try to be extra careful while playing games and debut a new accessory that no one has ever seen before in a professional baseball game.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which postponed the MLB season from March until July, has forced many changes in the game for the upcoming season. No fans will be allowed in the stands, players will not be able to chew gum or sunflower seeds, and umpiers will wear face masks to protect themselves and players from potential spread of disease.

Major League Baseball won’t require players to wear masks on the field, but will have no rule against them doing so. It should be expected that Gregorius, an eight-year Big League veteran, won’t be the only player to choose to do so.

As Gregorius put it, “I can’t force a person to wear their mask, but it’s for everybody’s safety.”

The post Phillies IF Didi Gregorius Plans to Wear a Mask During Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While most players who have decided to sit out 2020, including Dodgers pitcher David Price and Giants catcher Buster Posey, have done so due to concerns about COVID-19, Kopech’s case appears to be different by all accounts.

The White Sox pitcher has previously struggled with anxiety and depression, and was absent at the beginning of this summer’s camp due to “personal reasons.” It appears that these problems are the main reason that Kopech has decided to sit out this season and look forward to 2021.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn said, “We recognize that reaching this decision is incredibly difficult for any competitive athlete, and our organization is understanding and supportive.”

Kopech, who at 24-years-old is considered to be one of the building blocks of a group of young talent that Chicago has accumulated in a bid to return to relevancy, was penciled in as a starting pitching option in the Sox’s rotation heading into 2020.

The flame-throwing righty appeared in 4 games last season in the Big Leagues, posting a 5.02 ERA in a short cameo.

The post White Sox P Michael Kopech Opts Out of 2020 MLB Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Zimmeman, a long-time National and a club legend, has been keeping a diary for the Associated Press ever since the season was denied and recently expressed concern about the 2020 season considering his family situation.

“I have a 3-week-old baby,” Zimmerman wrote. “My mother has multiple sclerosis and is super high-risk; if I end up playing, I can pretty much throw out the idea of seeing her until weeks after the season is over. There’s a lot of factors that I and others have to consider. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer; it’s everybody’s individual choice.”

He signed a one-year, $2 million contract for the 2020 season over the offseason and said in a statement that this decision did not signify his retirement.

Ross, on the other hand, has not released any type of statement explaining his decision not to take part in the season at the current time.

Zimmerman was expected to be a designated hitter option in 2020 for the Nationals and a backup infielder, while Ross was penciled in as the fifth starter in the team’s pitching rotation.

The Nationals will instead have to look for other options to cover Zimmerman’s and Ross’s roles in 2020.

The post Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman and SP Joe Ross to Opt Out of 2020 Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Giants informed season ticket holders on Thursday that they will be able to submit an image of themselves, which will be printed onto a weatherproof cardboard cutout and placed as close as possible to their season ticket seats. These cutouts will be displayed at AT&T Park throughout the season.

Giants fans who aren’t season ticket holders will also have the option to pay $199 in order to submit an image and have it placed in the stands at the stadium for the entire season.

Some soccer clubs in Europe, such as Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach and Spain’s Villarreal CF have tested a similar initiative to widespread praise after the sport returned to empty stadiums in the continent.

The Giants are the first franchise to announce an initiative such as this in the United States, which they hope will improve the image of the stadium on television broadcasts and make things look not so “empty.” Don’t be surprised if more MLB teams follow suit.

The post San Francisco Giants to Display Cardboard Cutouts of Fans During the 2020 Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

All Spring Training camps are located in Arizona and Florida, two states which have seen a current increase in the number of positive tests for the disease. While it has not been public which players have tested positive for COVID-19, there are reportedly more than 10 franchises that have been affected.

With MLB and its players’ union in a long-term struggle over compensation and details for the potential 2020 season, the news that a significant number of players have tested positive and that camps will not be allowed to operate for now make it seem even more unlikely that the league will play this season.

Recent proposals from the MLB had been based around a 60-game season and expanded playoffs that would have begun in July and ended at the end of October. However, with camps now closed and no timetable on when they might open, the hopes for that plan going forward now seem slimmer than ever.

Fans must now wait and see if MLB can find a way to resolve its current dilemma or if the league will simply be unable to return until 2021.

The post MLB Teams Reportedly Close Spring Camps Due to COVID-19 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The league, which did not allow fans inside of the ballpark for any of the regular season games played, is set to sell 11,500 tickets per game for these matchups, which equates to a 25% capacity of the Texas Rangers’ new stadium.

Globe Life Park, which has yet to see any paying fans enter the stadium in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced games to be played behind closed doors, will be used as a sort of experiment for baseball as they look to safely allow at least some fans inside of stadiums.

The ALCS, which will be played at Petco Park in San Diego, will not allow fans in the stadium due to more restrictive COVID-19 regulations in the state of California.

Fans will reportedly be seated in a socially-distanced “checkerboard” pattern which will allow for sufficient safety precautions to be taken. The tickets will be available for a mixed group of people, including Rangers season ticket holders, players’ family members, and the general public.

The NLCS is set to kick off on on Monday, October 12th and the World Series will start on Tuesday, October 20th.

The post MLB to Allow a Limited Number of Fans for NLCS, World Series Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Jays, learned last Friday that they would need to find a place within the United States to play, had been rumored to be considering their triple-A affiliate’s park in Buffalo, New York as well as their Dunedin, Florida Spring Training facility for this year’s games. However, reports soon followed that both facilities were deficient in terms of locker room space and lighting.

This meant that the Blue Jays have had to look at other options, and the idea of playing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and sharing the Pirates’ stadium with the Buccos is a possibility which is attractive for various reasons.

PNC Park is considered one of the best stadiums in all of professional sports, and COVID-19 cases in the Pittsburgh area are currently much lower than in other Major League cities.

“This will be a monumental challenge for our staff, but leaning in to help others is what Pittsburghers do best. If we are able to safely accommodate, not only will it bring additional international attention to our city, it will also bring with it jobs and revenue for local hotels, restaurants and other businesses that will support the Blue Jays organization as well as additional visiting teams,” said Pirates president Travis Williams when asked about the possibility of the Jays sharing their home stadium with them.

Toronto is running out of time to settle on its Plan B choice, with their home opener coming up on July 29.

The post Blue Jays Reportedly Considering Sharing PNC Park With Pirates For 2020 Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

However, against all odds, Freeman returned to training with his team on Friday after testing negative twice for the virus, and appears to be on track to play on Opening Day.

News had broken in early July that Freeman, a four-time NL All Star, was separated from the team with COVID-19 symptoms and a high fever after testing positive. On Friday, the star first baseman revealed that he was truly afraid for his life during his bout with the coronavirus.

Reflecting on the night in which he was most ill, Freeman revealed that he had dealt with a fever of 104.5 F. He said, “I said a little prayer that night. I’ve never been that hot before. My body was really, really hot. … I said ‘Please don’t take me’ because I wasn’t ready.”

Fortunately, Freeman’s body fought off the virus and only a couple of weeks later, he returned to participate in practices and intrasquad scrimmages with his teammates.

He expects to play in the Braves’ opener on July 24th against the New York Mets at Citi Field.

The post Braves Expect Star 1B Freddie Freeman to Be Ready For Opening Day appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Gregorius, who has been classified as a “high-risk player” due to a kidney disease and could have opted out of this season and been paid, will instead just try to be extra careful while playing games and debut a new accessory that no one has ever seen before in a professional baseball game.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which postponed the MLB season from March until July, has forced many changes in the game for the upcoming season. No fans will be allowed in the stands, players will not be able to chew gum or sunflower seeds, and umpiers will wear face masks to protect themselves and players from potential spread of disease.

Major League Baseball won’t require players to wear masks on the field, but will have no rule against them doing so. It should be expected that Gregorius, an eight-year Big League veteran, won’t be the only player to choose to do so.

As Gregorius put it, “I can’t force a person to wear their mask, but it’s for everybody’s safety.”

The post Phillies IF Didi Gregorius Plans to Wear a Mask During Games appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While most players who have decided to sit out 2020, including Dodgers pitcher David Price and Giants catcher Buster Posey, have done so due to concerns about COVID-19, Kopech’s case appears to be different by all accounts.

The White Sox pitcher has previously struggled with anxiety and depression, and was absent at the beginning of this summer’s camp due to “personal reasons.” It appears that these problems are the main reason that Kopech has decided to sit out this season and look forward to 2021.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn said, “We recognize that reaching this decision is incredibly difficult for any competitive athlete, and our organization is understanding and supportive.”

Kopech, who at 24-years-old is considered to be one of the building blocks of a group of young talent that Chicago has accumulated in a bid to return to relevancy, was penciled in as a starting pitching option in the Sox’s rotation heading into 2020.

The flame-throwing righty appeared in 4 games last season in the Big Leagues, posting a 5.02 ERA in a short cameo.

The post White Sox P Michael Kopech Opts Out of 2020 MLB Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Zimmeman, a long-time National and a club legend, has been keeping a diary for the Associated Press ever since the season was denied and recently expressed concern about the 2020 season considering his family situation.

“I have a 3-week-old baby,” Zimmerman wrote. “My mother has multiple sclerosis and is super high-risk; if I end up playing, I can pretty much throw out the idea of seeing her until weeks after the season is over. There’s a lot of factors that I and others have to consider. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer; it’s everybody’s individual choice.”

He signed a one-year, $2 million contract for the 2020 season over the offseason and said in a statement that this decision did not signify his retirement.

Ross, on the other hand, has not released any type of statement explaining his decision not to take part in the season at the current time.

Zimmerman was expected to be a designated hitter option in 2020 for the Nationals and a backup infielder, while Ross was penciled in as the fifth starter in the team’s pitching rotation.

The Nationals will instead have to look for other options to cover Zimmerman’s and Ross’s roles in 2020.

The post Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman and SP Joe Ross to Opt Out of 2020 Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Giants informed season ticket holders on Thursday that they will be able to submit an image of themselves, which will be printed onto a weatherproof cardboard cutout and placed as close as possible to their season ticket seats. These cutouts will be displayed at AT&T Park throughout the season.

Giants fans who aren’t season ticket holders will also have the option to pay $199 in order to submit an image and have it placed in the stands at the stadium for the entire season.

Some soccer clubs in Europe, such as Germany’s Borussia Mönchengladbach and Spain’s Villarreal CF have tested a similar initiative to widespread praise after the sport returned to empty stadiums in the continent.

The Giants are the first franchise to announce an initiative such as this in the United States, which they hope will improve the image of the stadium on television broadcasts and make things look not so “empty.” Don’t be surprised if more MLB teams follow suit.

The post San Francisco Giants to Display Cardboard Cutouts of Fans During the 2020 Season appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

All Spring Training camps are located in Arizona and Florida, two states which have seen a current increase in the number of positive tests for the disease. While it has not been public which players have tested positive for COVID-19, there are reportedly more than 10 franchises that have been affected.

With MLB and its players’ union in a long-term struggle over compensation and details for the potential 2020 season, the news that a significant number of players have tested positive and that camps will not be allowed to operate for now make it seem even more unlikely that the league will play this season.

Recent proposals from the MLB had been based around a 60-game season and expanded playoffs that would have begun in July and ended at the end of October. However, with camps now closed and no timetable on when they might open, the hopes for that plan going forward now seem slimmer than ever.

Fans must now wait and see if MLB can find a way to resolve its current dilemma or if the league will simply be unable to return until 2021.

The post MLB Teams Reportedly Close Spring Camps Due to COVID-19 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.