Could the Yankee season be canceled altogether?
With the increase in COVID-19 infection, the New York Yankees and all of MLB found that spring training had been canceled. In additional steps to prevent the spread of the disease, the start of the regular season was delayed by two weeks. With increasing concern and restrictions popping up around the country, the two-week delay may turn into two months.
Since the MLB initiated their action plan to prevent the spread of the virus, the situation has changed dramatically. A Yankee player in the minor league has been tested positive and the entire team has been ordered to self-quarantine for two weeks. The Yankee major league team that had originally planned to continue workouts and simulated games at the George M. Steinbrenner complex in Tampa, during the delay now may shut down.
Yankees and the sports world now affected!
The sports world in the past few days has been affected around the world, from soccer in Europe to the NBA who has three players with the virus, and now the Yankees. The Yankee minor league case will surely send shockwaves throughout all of MLB. It appears that all players in the Yankee organization will now be tested for the virus in the coming days.
With the ripple effect of all that is happening due to the virus, cruise lines have been shut down, the airline industry has cut flights substantially and supermarkets are running out of essentials as residents stock up for the long haul and practice social distancing and even self-quarantine.
The Yankees are re-evaluating their plan to keep practicing as restrictions increase and their ability to continue as a group has been decreased. On Sunday, MLB issued an advisory that stated that all 30 teams should avoid any activities that involve players and people gathering in significant numbers. The Yankee front office believes if the team cannot practice in mass, then the benefits to continue are reduced and may disband and send players that do not live in the Tampa area home.
The Yankees may shut down the training complex and send players home!
Because of the speed of the changes surrounding the virus, when you read this the Yankee Tampa complex may already be shut down. With the projected spread of the virus even with the increasing restrictions on public gatherings, the virus spread will get worse before it gets better. It is not unreasonable to assume that the delay in the start of the baseball season may reach the first day of summer in June, or in the worst-case scenario that the season may be canceled altogether.