Nationals' Sean Doolittle expresses concerns about safety amid MLB's reported plan to play in 2020close
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MLB owners reportedly approved a plan to start the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic that included an 82-game schedule and mostly regional matchups but at least one player expressed his concern about players’ safety should there be a season at all.
Washington Nationals closer Sean Doolittle, in a series of tweets Monday, was concerned about the availability of tests should the season get started. Doolittle has talked extensively about his wife’s respiratory issues and the concerns he has about contracting the illness.
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“So how many tests do we need to safely play during a pandemic? And not just tests for players. Baseball requires a massive workforce besides the players; coaches, clubhouse staff, security, grounds crews, umpires, gameday stadium staff, TV & media…we need to protect everyone,” Doolittle wrote.
“And that's before we get to hotel workers and transportation workers (pilots, flight attendants, bus drivers). They are essential workers. We wouldn't be able to play a season without them, and they deserve the same protections."
“We need to consider what level of risk we're willing to assume. 80% of cases are considered mild, but what if a player, a staff member, an auxiliary worker, or a family member gets a case that's in the 20% and they develop severe symptoms or chronic issues? 1 feels like too many?”
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Doolittle said baseball needs a plan that considers the health risks associated with playing again and he hoped that some of these concerns will be addressed.
“We don't have a vaccine yet, and we don't really have any effective anti-viral treatments. What happens if there is a second wave? Hopefully we can come up with BOTH a proactive health plan focused on prevention AND a reactive plan aimed at containment,” he wrote.
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“Hopefully these concerns will be addressed in MLB's proposal, first and foremost: 1) what's the plan to ethically acquire enough tests? 2) what's the protocol if a player, staff member, or worker contracts the virus? We want to play. And we want everyone to stay safe.”
Colorado Rockies outfielder David Dahl, who had his spleen removed in May 2015, told The Athletic he would be willing to play.
“It’s definitely scary … my immune system is pretty bad,” Dahl said. “But I trust the medical experts, the guys with the Rockies, everyone who will be involved that if we do come back and play, we’ll be safe and taking the right precautions to make sure we aren’t at a greater risk.”
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MLB’s reported plan still has to be approved by the players association and the White House.
