After CDC's New Recommendation, the MLB Season Could Get Pushed Back Drastically

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new recommendation for groups of 50 people or more on Sunday. For anyone yearning for the start of the baseball season, it's a pretty significant gut-punch.

"Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.

Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States"

-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Major League Baseball, along with other professional sports leagues like the NBA, NHL, and MLS have abided by the recommendations of the CDC so far in this very fluid situation. Of course, if MLB decides to abide by this recommendation, or if the federal government enforces this as regulation, the start of the baseball season will get pushed back significantly past the wishful two-week delay originally announced.

Eight weeks from the time the CDC recommended an eight-week limitation is May 10th. When the media talked to Rangers manager Chris Woodward, he expressed how long teams may need to ramp things back up before the actual season begins.

"I think MLB is pretty aware that you can't just give us a week," Woodward said. "I would say three-to-four weeks, we would need a heads up. Hopefully sooner than later, they'll give us a start date which we can work backwards from there."

Worst-case scenario, four weeks from May 10th in June 7th. And this is all stemming from the time the CDC made its recommendation. Nothing has yet been enforced by Major League Baseball, other professional leagues, or federal or state governments.

This could be a similar situation as last week where one league decides to shut it down for eight weeks and all the other leagues follow suit. They could also have no choice if the government steps in.

Nothing is official, so this is still considered to be conjecture. But when we look at the pattern of events from last five days, the writing may already be on the wall. Local and state governments are taking more and more drastic steps on a daily basis to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It would be surprising if these professional sports league did NOT do something drastic in a similar effort to prevent the spread.

So sit tight. It may be a while before baseball is played again. Probably June. Maybe even as late as July. Anything earlier is a very warm welcome.

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