F A C E S
M A G A Z I N E
O T T A W A
The MLB’s Return And Why The Blue Jays Could Compete By Liam Fox
Canadian baseball fans rejoice. Major League Baseball (MLB) is officially taking steps towards a return and it will start on Canada Day. The Toronto Blue Jays as well as baseball’s 29 other major league teams will begin training camp on July 1. After weeks of tumultuous negotiations surrounding salaries and the number of games that could feasibly be played, the league and players association finally agreed on a format that worked for both parties. The official season schedule has games starting on either July 23 or 25. Depending on the MLB’s ability to follow that schedule and the actions of other leagues like the NHL and NBA, baseball could be in line to be the first North American pro sports league to play games since mid-March. With more than two months of time lost due to COVID-19 shutdowns, the 2020 MLB season will consist of only 60 games compared to the usual 162. As with everything this year, safety concerns will dominate discussion surrounding the early points of the revived season. It is unclear what health conditions will be and what steps the league office and teams will take in keeping players and staff safe. On Wednesday, it was reported that several members of the Blue Jays organization had tested positive for coronavirus a week before they are supposed to gather for training camp. There will be nearly 900 players on 46 | FACES MAGAZINE
