There was little chance of Major League Baseball starting only two weeks later than scheduled, and that is now official.
MLB announced Monday that Opening Day will be delayed until at least mid-May in accordance with Sunday’s CDC recommendation that there be no gatherings of 50 or more people anywhere in the United States for eight weeks. MLB had previously delayed the start of the season by two weeks.
Opening Day was originally set for March 26. The delay is due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the suspension or cancellation of the vast majority of sporting events.
According to USA Today MLB writer Bob Nightengale, some general managers are prepared for the season to be delayed until July. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday that the league will try to play as many games in 2020 as possible, and has not completely ruled out a 162 game season.
The last time Opening Day was delayed was in 1995 during the MLB players’ strike. Play that season began April 25 with all teams playing a truncated 144-game schedule. There has never been a completely lost MLB season, though the 1994 season was not completed due to said players’ strike.
[News from MLB.com 3.16, St. Louis Post-Dispatch 3.16, Nightengale/Twitter 3.16]
