MLB Commissioner Manfred Speaks Confirming Season Won't Begin April 9, Still Hoping for 162-Game Season

With still more questions than answers about when the 2020 Major League Baseball season may start, Monday MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke at St.Louis Cardinals camp in Jupiter to try and answer questions, but also confirmed that the MLB season will not start on April 9.

Baseball fans and those involved with the game have been waiting on pins and needles to get any news on when the season may start, but Monday's press conference with commissioner Rob Manfred came with no real answers as to when that may happen.

Manfred spoke at St.Louis Cardinals camp in Jupiter, FL on Monday morning, and was not able to shed much light in terms of timelines as to when we may see a game that counts in the standings.

The commissioner did say that he is hopeful the league can get in a 162-game season, and for now spring training facilities are open on a limited basis for informal workouts.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale tweeted Monday that "several GM's are bracing for delay now as late as July."

A delay into July would mean for sure you could not play a 162-game season and also one would think that the All-Star game, slated for July 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Manfred told the players in Jupiter that if they left spring training, they would each get $1100 per week living allowances.

That would last until at least April 9, the two-week window from when the season was supposed to start on March 26.

Once April 9 hits there is a feeling that teams will then begin to pick up expenses until the shutdown comes to an end and games begin. 

You could see a situation similar to the 1995 baseball season where the season got underway on April 25 after having to cancel the 1994 World Series due to a player's strike the season before.

Nightengale said that Monday morning a memo went out to all teams answering in detail all questions that players and organizations may have concerning the virus.