July has arrived, and MLB players have officially reported to the second round of spring training. As we get ready for baseball to be played in a little over three weeks, let’s catch up on all of the important news from the past couple of days.
Sitting This One Out
As expected, several players are choosing not to participate in the 2020 season out of caution and concern. Here are the players who have announced that they will not play in 2020.
Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman is sitting out in the interest of his family, including a mother who has multiple sclerosis and three children, including a newborn who was born three weeks ago. Zimmerman has made it clear that he’s not retiring, although it remains possible that he’s played his last game.
Nationals pitcher Joe Ross, who didn’t make his reasons clear, will also sit out. He likely would have been Washington’s fifth starter this season.
Pitcher Mike Leake, who would have likely figured into Arizona’s starting rotation, will not play in 2020. His reasons appear to be family-related. Leake will be a free agent after the season and intends to play next season.
Colorado’s Ian Desmond is sitting out the season because he has a pregnant wife and four young children. He said that playing during the pandemic is “a risk I am not comfortable taking.”
More to Say
When he announced that he wouldn’t be playing in 2020, Desmond’s comments didn’t end with expressing concern for his health. With the Black Lives Matter movement going strong, Desmond says that baseball is “failing” minorities, especially young kids.
“Think about it: right now in baseball, we’ve got a labor war,” says Desmond. “We’ve got rampant individualism on the field. In clubhouses, we’ve got racist, sexist, homophobic jokes or flat-out problems. We’ve got cheating. We’ve got a minority issue from the top down.”
One More Chance
With Desmond opting to sit out, the Rockies have brought in veteran outfielder Matt Kemp to help take his place. Kemp began spring training this year with the Marlins.
However, he wasn’t included in Miami’s 60-man player pool for the 2020 season. That freed up Kemp to pursue other opportunities, and now he’ll get a chance with the Rockies on a non-guaranteed contract.
Going Both Ways
The delay in the start of the season will end up being good news for Shohei Ohtani. The Angels say Ohtani will be a two-way player when the 2020 campaign begins.
Ohtani was expected to be primarily a designated hitter had the season started in March after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2018. However, the Japanese sensation has had enough time to fully recover and take a spot in the Los Angeles rotation while serving also serving as the designated hitter on days he doesn’t pitch.
Sad But Inevitable
On Tuesday, the minor league baseball season was officially canceled. It’s been expected for a long time that minor league teams would be unable to play this year.
With a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in many parts of the country, minor league baseball has become infeasible. Some prospects will get a chance to train as part of the 60-man player pool with big-league clubs. But it will become a lost year for many players, as well as fans who enjoy seeing their local minor league team play.
