MLB may follow NHL, NBA into bubble
This would apply only for postseason games, including the World Series
The major leagues might yet play bubble ball this year.
In the wake of coronavirus outbreaks that have interrupted the season for three teams, Major League Baseball is considering whether to move the postseason into a bubble, according to a person briefed on the matter but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The league is preparing what the person called “contingency plans for the postseason” but cautioned that none of those plans is guaranteed to happen, with the possibility teams could continue to play in home ballparks. The contingency plans could include a postseason bubble or moving some or all of the postseason to neutral sites with warm weather and relatively low spread of the virus.
The option for neutral sites could be complicated by two factors: one, a comparatively safe zone for the virus in September could turn into a hot spot in October; and, two, as Dr. Anthony Fauci previously told the Los Angeles Times, the onset of flu season adds another risk factor.
“Flu season starts in October,” said Dr. Dena Grayson, a Floridabased
pandemic specialist. “Good luck with that.”
Said Grayson: “The least unsafe way would be to somehow have a bubble.”
The Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies were sidelined for a week by an outbreak on the Marlins, with the Phillies sitting out to ensure the outbreak had not spread to their team. The St. Louis Cardinals will be sidelined for at least two weeks, with no return date set and not much chance to play a full 60-game schedule.
“I think whether you get all the way to 60 or not, that’s difficult
at this point,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Monday. “I think it’s possible for them to play enough games to be credible, to be a credible competitor in this season.”
MLB has not determined how it would proceed if a team were hit by an outbreak in the postseason, but shutting down the postseason for a week might not be tenable for the other teams in the playoff field or for the league’s television partners. On the other hand, a team advancing in the playoffs simply because its opponent was disqualified because of an outbreak might not be satisfactory.
The league had explored a bubble scenario for the entire season, with options to play only in Arizona; in Arizona and Texas; and in Arizona, Texas and Florida. Star players opposed the concept.
A bubble cannot eliminate the risk of a player contracting the virus, but it can reduce it. Dr. Zach Binney, an epidemiologist at Emory University, said he would recommend that teams quarantine for three days before entering the bubble. At that point, players could enter the bubble and the postseason could start but with no offfield contact with players on other teams for another four days. MORE POSTPONEMENTS FOR CARDS:
A doubleheader between the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers on Thursday is being postponed to allow more time for additional COVID-19 testing for St. Louis. FRANCONA RETURNS: Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona will return to the team Tuesday after missing more than a week so he could rest while dealing with a gastrointestinal condition.
INDIANS: Cleveland starter Mike Clevinger flew home with his teammates despite knowing he had broken the club’s COVID-19 protocols by going out with righthander Zach Plesac during Cleveland’s weekend trip to Chicago, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The Indians said Clevinger will be quarantined and tested and will not make his scheduled start Tuesday against the Cubs.
PADRES 2, DODGERS 1: In Los Angeles, Eric Hosmer singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the sixth inning, and San Diego beat Los Angeles.
Joc Pederson bobbled the ball on Hosmer’s hit to left and couldn’t attempt a throw as Trent Grisham scored from second after Dustin May (1-1) walked him, giving the Padres a 2-1 lead.
Austin Hedges homered with two outs in the fifth for San Diego to tie it at 1. DIAMONDBACKS 12, ROCKIES 8: In Denver, Kole Calhoun homered and had a two-run double to lead Arizona’s 18-hit outburst.
David Peralta and Ketel Marte got four hits each for Arizona.
Alex Young (1-0) worked two innings of relief for the win. Archie Bradley entered in the ninth with the bases loaded and allowed just one run, earning his fourth save.
Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon continued his torrid start with four singles to extend his hitting streak to 14 games.
He has 10 multi-hit games in that stretch, including the last five to raise his batting average to .484, tops in baseball. Blackmon has 12 hits in his last 15 at-bats.
ASTROS 6, GIANTS 4: In Houston, Lance McCullers Jr. pitched no-hit ball into the seventh inning, Michael Brantley and Carlos Correa drove in two runs each and Houston snapped a five-game skid.
McCullers (2-1) bounced back from one of the worst performances of his career with a gem where he allowed one hit and struck out five in seven scoreless innings.
His only hit allowed Monday came when Donovan Solano extended his MLB-best hitting streak to 15 games with a grounder down the third base line that rolled just out of reach of Alex Bregman for a double with one out in the seventh. MARINERS 10, RANGERS 2: In Arlington, Texas, Kyle Seager hit a grand slam, Kyle Lewis and Dylan Moore also homered and Seattle snapped the Rangers’ threegame winning streak.
Lewis put the Mariners up 4-2 with his fourth homer, a three-run shot to center field in the fifth off Kyle Gibson (0-2). Seager cleared the bases an inning later with a high-arching drive that dropped near the first row of seats a few feet beyond the rightfield wall for his fifth career slam. NATIONALS 16, METS 4: In New York, Asdrubal Cabrera went 4 for 4 with two homers, two doubles and five RBIs and Washington routed the Mets.
Juan Soto and Trea Turner homered in the third inning for the Nationals, who scored just 11 runs in their previous five games.
PHILLIES 13, BRAVES 8: In Philadelphia, Aaron Nola got enough run support that even another dismal performance by the bullpen couldn’t ruin.
Didi Gregorius hit a grand slam, Bryce Harper blasted a three-run shot and the Phillies beat Atlanta to give Nola his first win in nearly a year.
Nola (1-1) allowed one run, two hits and struck out 10 in eight innings.
RAYS 8, RED SOX 7: In Boston, Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh inning, Manuel Margot had four hits and Tampa Bay beat Boston.
Kiermaier’s opposite-field line drive off reliever Jeffrey Springs (0-1) rolled all the way to the wall in left-center field. Yoshi Tsutsugo and Margot scored after both singled to start the inning.
TWINS 4, BREWERS 2: In Milwaukee, Eddie Rosario hit a grand slam in the third inning, Randy Dobnak turned in another solid outing and Minnesota beat Milwaukee to snap a four-game skid.
That slide matched the Twins’ longest losing streak from last season during their run to an AL Central title. Minnesota’s 2019 four-game skid covered the same dates (Aug. 6-9) as this year’s slump.
TIGERS 5, WHITE SOX 1: In Detroit, JaCoby Jones hit an inside-the-park home run in the seventh inning and Detroit won its fourth straight.
Niko Goodrum homered and had four hits for the Tigers, who handed Chicago its fifth loss in six games. Detroit is 4-0 since returning from a four-day layoff created by a postponed series against St. Louis, which had a coronavirus outbreak.