Desmond opts out of MLB season

Rockies outfielder cites family’s health, social issues

Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond plans to sit out this season to be with his family and help grow youth baseball in his hometown in Florida.

The 34-year-old Desmond wrote on Instagram that the “COVID-19 pandemic has made this baseball season one that is a risk I am not comfortable taking.” But the biracial slugger also mentioned myriad issues within baseball, including racism, sexism, homophobia and socioeconomic concerns.

“With a pregnant wife and four young children who have lots of questions about what’s going on in the world, home is where I need to be right now,” Desmond wrote on Instagram. “Home for my wife, Chelsey. Home to help. Home to guide. Home to answer my older three boys’ questions about Coronavirus and Civil Rights and life. Home to be their Dad.”

Desmond, who hit .255 with 20 homers in 140 games last season, had been due $5,555,556 for the prorated share of his $15 million salary, part of a $70 million, five-year contract. He is owed $8 million next year, and his deal includes a $15 million team option for 2022 with a $2 million buyout.

Desmond, who grew up in Sarasota, made his major league debut with Nationals in 2009. The two-time AllStar played for the Rangers for one season before signing with the Rockies.

In his Instagram post, Desmond said he has been sharing more of his thoughts and experiences as a biracial man since George Floyd’s death in Minnesota on May 25.

Desmond said his mind started racing during a recent visit to the Sarasota baseball fields that he played on as a kid. He wrote how they looked run down and neglected, and how important youth baseball was for him growing up.

“Why can’t we support teaching the game to all kids — but especially those in underprivileged communities?” Desmond wrote. “Why aren’t accessible, affordable youth sports viewed as an essential opportunity to affect kids’ development, as opposed to money-making propositions and recruiting chances? It’s hard to wrap your head around it.”

Desmond said he wants to help Sarasota Youth Baseball get back on track.

“It’s what I can do, in the scheme of so much,” he wrote. “So, I am.”

■ Shohei Ohtani will resume his twoway career with the Angels when baseball returns. Angels GM Billy Eppler confirmed that his Japanese star will pitch and hit in the majors this season. Ohtani, the 2018 AL rookie of the year, was only a DH last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He wasn’t expected to pitch in 2020 until at least May, and Eppler confirmed that the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t altered the Angels’ plans. ... As expected, baseball’s minor leagues canceled their seasons after MLB decided not to provide any players to its affiliated teams amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Professional Baseball Agreement between the majors and the minors expires after this season, and MLB has proposed reducing the minimum affiliates from 160 to 120.

Colleges: Arizona will pause bringing additional athletes back to campus in Tuscon for voluntary workouts as a precaution amid a massive surge of coronavirus cases in the state. The school had one positive test among 83 student-athletes who had already returned for voluntary workouts. The decision to stop athletes from coming back to campus came shortly after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday closed bars, nightclubs, movie theaters, gyms and water parks for 30 days.

Soccer: Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal for club and country before Atletico Madrid came back to draw 2-2 and deal Barcelona’s title hopes a major blow. Barca’s third draw in four rounds left the two-time defending La Liga champs in second place, one point behind Real Madrid. Madrid hosts Getafe on Thursday with a chance to open up a four-point lead with five rounds remaining.