The Los Angeles Dodgers have players who will remain in Arizona and continue to work out at Camelback Ranch, but plans could easily change as Major League Baseball continues to monitor the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
MLB’s first act was to restrict clubhouse access to essential personnel. Then, all remaining Spring Training games were cancelled, the World Baseball Classic qualifying games got postponed, and the start of the season was delayed by two weeks — for the time being.
Then on Friday, the league announced all Spring Training operations were suspended. Players were given three options, one of which is to remain in their Spring Training cities.
The Dodgers are in the process of determining who will opt for that, and who will return to L.A. for workouts at Dodger Stadium.
On the health front, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said no Dodgers players were under the weather or had been tested for coronavirus, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Friedman said no Dodgers are ill or have been tested for coronavirus.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) March 14, 2020
Gavin Lux was the last Dodgers player to speak with media outside the clubhouse at Camelback Ranch before MLB cancelled Spring Training games on Thursday. “I think there’s an area of concern. Not just for athletes but for everybody in general,” he said of the coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s a lot of speculation, but there’s nothing you can really do or control about it. Just try to go about your business and prepare for the season. There’s a lot of unknowns, I guess.”
Lux also expressed shock at the NBA being forced to suspend its season. “Any time you shut down the whole league like that, I think it’s a surprise,” he said. “But at the end of the day, health is a huge concern for everybody. Like I said, it’s not just the athletes. It’s everybody; the whole world.”
Prior to MLB’s latest announcement, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated the club intended to hold voluntary workouts at Camelback Ranch. “Our guys are pretty adamant about wanting to stick around, because it is only two weeks,” he said.
However, with Spring Training camps now suspended, it appears even less likely the regular season will begin April 9. A general consensus is beginning to form that will not take place until May, at the earliest.
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