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MLB Baseball Returns for an Abbreviated Season Amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic
Opening Day is finally here. To open the 2020 season the reigning champion Washington Nationals will face off against the New York Yankees. The season was to begin on March 26th, but the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak caused the longest delay for a baseball season in history. MLB has worked to address the health concerns that come along with holding a season during a pandemic. Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci shares his thoughts and feelings about MLB's return.
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Tom Verducci is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has covered Major League Baseball since 1981. He also serves as an analyst for FOX Sports and the MLB Network; is a New York Times best-selling author; and cohosts The Book of Joe podcast with Joe Maddon. A five-time Emmy Award winner across three categories (studio analyst, reporter, short form writing) and nominated in a fourth (game analyst), he is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, two-time National Magazine Award finalist, and a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Verducci is a member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Baseball Writers Association of America (including past New York chapter chairman) and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1993. He also is the only writer to be a game analyst for World Series telecasts. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, with whom he has two children.