Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Major League Baseball (MLB) is maintaining their 2020 season by implementing changes to their schedule and league wide health protocols. Through these changes, the league is aiming to preserve the rest of their 2020 season, after all games before July 23rd were cancelled. The MLB has never completely missed a season, and they do not plan on letting the new coronavirus pandemic break that streak.

Due to the need for social distancing, the league has implemented several rule changes and a different schedule for the season that includes fewer games. Both the National and American Leagues will have to use designated hitters, and pitchers won’t be able to lick their fingers before pitching. Despite these protocols, the league is still allowing players to travel off and on site facilities without quarantine guidelines that other sports leagues such as the NHL, National Hockey League, and the NBA, National Basketball League, are implementing.

Fans argue that one of the most important changes is that the season will be played with only 60 games per team, which is about 37 percent of the usual 162 game season. According to senior and varsity baseball player Ikey Kohler, the decrease in games will impact the way coaches and players react to wins and losses because they may have less time to catch up if a game goes badly.

“A lot of people I know don’t like baseball because the ‘season is so long’ and every game doesn’t matter,” Kohler said. “This season is the one to watch because it’s 60 games so every game counts. It’s a once in a lifetime kind of season; it will be interesting.”

Senior and varsity baseball player Will DiCarlo, who plays in the outfield position, agreed about the importance of the shortened season. He said the smaller sample size of games will not allow for proper demonstration of a team’s merit.

“Baseball has a large amount of inherent randomness, so a 60 game season doesn’t do a good job of demonstrating what the best teams are,” DiCarlo said.

To put the impact less games will have into perspective, last season, the Washington Nationals were 23-37 after the first 60 games and would not have made it to the playoffs. However, since there were so many more games, they were able to bounce back and ended up winning the World Series.

Although these procedures are a step in the right direction based on the general recommendations for slowing the coronavirus, some fans and health professionals believe these base level rules are not enough to safely prevent the spread of COVID-19 both in and outside of the field. Among them is junior and varsity baseball player Marco Martinez who focuses on both first base and pitcher positions.

“I don’t think the procedures are enough to keep players and coaches safe,” Martinez said. “The concern is also for the vulnerable people who have decided to opt out or take their own precautions.”

Since the beginning of the 2020 season, multiple players, coaches, and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, validating the fans’ concerns. According to Martinez, the spread of COVID-19 within the league could have negative effects on the teams’ performances.

“Teams with more players testing positive will have to deal with some vital players opting out and quarantining, which may really affect the dynamic of the team,” Martinez said.

Other sports leagues, such as the NBA, are continuing the season in a “bubble-like” quarantined state, MLB teams continue to train and play while traveling throughout the country without rigid quarantine restrictions. Although this may be the safest way to ensure less exposure to COVID-19, some fans worry it may not be realistic.

“The safest way to do it would be the bubble like the NBA, but in the MLB, it’s harder to do that because there are so many people on a team compared to basketball, and it would be hard logistically to do it and even find enough space,” Kohler said.

The NBA is operating out of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, for their 2020 season. All of the players are living in Disney resorts and are tested every night for COVID-19, moving into self-isolation until cleared by a doctor if they test positive. Similarly, the NHL is operating out of three different cities, with eight teams in each city. They will play a tournament-like season from those three cities.

Another example of the MLB’s loose quarantine restrictions is that management has left it up to each individual team to determine and regulate off-site behavior. The season’s manual advises each player to “exercise care” and encourages teams to determine regulations for conduct outside of club facilities to ensure they players act responsibly off the fields.

This lack of concrete regulation has created controversy among both fans and medical professionals as social distancing restrictions play a large part in lessening the spread of COVID-19. According to epidemiologist Zach Binney, quoted by The Washington Post, the lack of regulation of off-site behavior means the health of the MLB season is concerning because players are expected, but not enforced, to engage in safety precautions such as social distancing and wearing a mask.

“It’s basically an honor system, and you’re trusting that a whole lot of people understand how serious this is and will be careful and safe,” Binney told the Washington Post in a June interview.

So far, most teams in the MLB have had at least one player or staff member test positive for COVID-19. Many teams have also had players opt out of the season and choose not to play. Because baseball requires a large number of players and coaches to maintain a team, one case could quickly lead to an outbreak. According to Martinez, this could lead to more major cancellations and updates throughout the season.

“I think that there is a chance that the season will be cut short if a lot of players are falling ill and it is becoming a major issue, which is the right thing to do,” Martinez said. “I think it may happen as baseball teams take a lot of players and coaches all being in pretty close quarters.”

The Miami Marlins were the first team to have an “outbreak,” as eleven of their players tested positive since week one of the season. This outbreak led to two games being canceled. The Marlins canceled their game against the Baltimore Orioles, and the Philadelphia Phillies, who played the Marlins on opening day, canceled their next game against the New York Yankees.

Many fans believe that the circumstances surrounding public health will be taken into account when looking back on this season in the future. Among them is junior and varsity softball player Frankie Gigliotti.

“When people think about the 2020 season you can’t separate it from the modified season and the global affairs surrounding it,” Gigliotti said. “I think this year will be taken with a grain of salt for all fans.”