Play Ball! The 2020 MLB Season is Officially Happening.

It is official! Major League Baseball is back on the sports menu for 2020! As I discussed Monday, it appears the league/owners and players have finally come to an agreement to play a regular season, ending a month’s long battle.

The MLBPA has agreed to report to training camps by July 1st. The final snag that was encountered today and needed to be worked out, was health and safety protocols, revolving around COVID-19 for players .

According to ESPN’s Karl Ravich, all hurdles have been cleared and baseball is back! Jeff Passan was on the earlier reports, that a deal was imminent.

The deal is done between MLbPa and Mlb on health and safety protocols. Game on

— Karl Ravech (@karlravechespn) June 24, 2020

All remaining issues have been resolved and Players are reporting to training camps.

— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) June 24, 2020

The Major League Baseball Players Association has agreed to report to training camps by July 1 and play a 60-game season, sources tell ESPN, but deal is not finalized yet.

One last health-and-safety hurdle to get over and Major League Baseball will be back a week from tomorrow.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 23, 2020

SEASON FORMAT

As noted above, the season is obviously going to look drastically different from year’s past. With a 60-game season, it will be a sprint and not a marathon.

It will also include two years of a universal designated hitter. Something the players were apparently lobbying for in the last collective bargaining agreement. Expect the next CBA in 2021 to include this rule for good.

You can catch a lot more details on what the season will look like, from what we wrote the other day, when the MLB owners announced they’d be implementing a 60-game season. All you really need to know, is that players will report on July 1 and we will have real baseball games just three weeks after that (god-willing).

I just can’t wait to turn the Minnesot Twins on my TV at night so I can watch Josh Donaldson hit bombas into the empty Target Field bleachers!

We’ll add tweets below, that filter in new information about the season as the night goes on!

Plan is for teams to play 40 games in division and 20 games interleague with their geographic counterpart (East vs. East, etc.) #MLB

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 24, 2020

#BombaSquad is back! pic.twitter.com/QMvJXl80nb

— Kyle Goblirsch (@Gobie82) June 24, 2020

MLB is back. pic.twitter.com/DgDWTdHtpE

— danhayesmlb (@DanHayesMLB) June 24, 2020

Rosters will be 30 on Opening Day. After two weeks, they will be reduced to 28. After four weeks, it's 26. At that point, teams will be permitted to add a 27th player for doubleheaders.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) June 24, 2020

The Injured List will be 10 days for both pitchers and position players. The 60-day IL will be reduced to 45 days this season.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) June 24, 2020

The Trade Deadline will indeed be August 31. Players must be on the roster by September 15 in order to be eligible for Postseason play.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) June 24, 2020

There will be a COVID-19 Related IL with no minimum or maximum length of placement. A player may be placed on that list based on a positive COVID-19 test, confirmed exposure, or if a player exhibits symptoms requiring self- isolation for further assessment.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) June 24, 2020

Jack Kewitsch | Minnesota Sports Fan