Rangers asking employees to return: report
The coronavirus has been the confirmed cause of death for over 115,000 Americans and cases are spiking throughout the state of Texas. But the Rangers won’t let the fastspreading plague hinder their baseball operations employees from getting back to the office.
A spokesperson for the Rangers confirmed that the team was phasing in their employees, who were working remotely to avoid perpetuating the public health crisis, which again, has gotten much worse throughout the state, including the North Texas region their Globe Life
Field is located.
“We are working with all employees to make them feel comfortable in returning to the office, but individuals with medical conditions, child care issues, and other concerns are being accommodated on a caseby-by basis and are able to continue working remotely at present,” a Rangers spokesperson told CBS when asked if the team was forcing their staff to hurry back to their cubicles.
Tarrant County, where Globe Life Park is located, described the coronavirus spread as “substantial” on its online COVID-19 dashboard. State-wide, Texas is steadily rising in hospitalizations, one of the key indicators of spread that controls for increased in testing capacity.
Texas was one of the first states to ease its statewide stay-at-home order, which expired on April 30. Texas might be the first to introduce fans back into ballparks if the season resumes — no sure thing according to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, who on Monday backtracked from the league’s relaunch hopes — because governor Greg Abbott
will allow open-air sports facilities like Globe Life Park to fill up to 50% capacity.
The Rangers are hustling their workers hard for a season that might not happen. Manfred told ESPN he was “not confident” a 2020 season happens due to the widening gap between the players union and owners on pay, as well as an alleged split on health and safety protocol during the pandemic. (The MLB Players’ Association disputed Manfred’s characterization of the union’s position on safety during the pandemic.)
“The owners are 100% committed to getting baseball back on the field,” said Manfred. “Unfortunately, I can’t tell you that I’m 100% certain that’s going to happen.”