MLB has plan in place if virus shuts down stadiums

NEW YORK » If Major League Baseball can’t play in front of fans at a team’s home ballpark because of the virus outbreak, the sport’s first preference likely would be to switch games to the visiting team’s stadium if possible, a person familiar with the deliberations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity March 10 because no decisions have been made.

MLB starts its season March 26. Among the games on opening day is Texas at Seattle, where that area has been hit hard by the virus.

MLB anticipates government officials will decide whether it is safe to play in front of fans in each city. If changes to the schedule are necessary, MLB would make determinations at the point when a ballpark has been ruled out.

“I hope it doesn’t turn into us missing games or pushing scheduled games back,” Orioles first baseman Chris Davis said.

Baseball’s preference is to play in front of fans and not in empty stadiums, the person familiar with the deliberations said.

Players and management don’t like the lack of energy in empty ballparks.

“It wouldn’t be the same. It really wouldn’t,” said Dave Martinez, manager of World Series champion Washington.

Flipping home and road dates is easier to do at the start of the season, when there are many series between teams who face each other later in the year.

The Rangers are scheduled to open Globe Life Field, their new retractable roof ballpark, against the Los Angeles Angels on March 31.

Texas general manager Jon Daniels said there hadn’t been any discussion with MLB or the Mariners about swapping home dates for that opening series between AL West rivals, but said the new ballpark would be ready if it is needed.

Exhibition games against St. Louis are scheduled at the new stadium on March 23 and 24.

Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos said he is “a little bit” concerned about traveling to face the Mariners. The Seattle area is dealing with the deadliest COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

“I know the season starts in Seattle, and we know how Seattle is right now,” Chirinos said. “That’s 2½ weeks from now, so I think we’re going to hear some news when we’re getting close to opening day.”

Several high-profile soccer games in Europe have been played in empty stadiums, including Atalanta’s win at Spain’s Valencia on March 10 that advanced the Italian club to the Champions League semifinals.

Paris Saint-Germain’s home match against Germany’s Borussia Dortmund on March 11 also will be behind closed doors.

All Spanish first- and second-division league matches will be played without fans for the next two weeks.

After some Serie A games were played in empty stadiums in recent weeks, the Italian government called off all sporting events until April 3.

ELAINE THOMPSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Athletics minor-league manager Scott Steinmann fills out a lineup card next to a bottle of hand sanitizer before a spring training game against the Mariners March 7in Peoria, Ariz.