5:55 p.m. ET, May 17, 2020
Draft of MLB coronavirus safety protocols includes some very un-MLB precautions, The Athletic and ESPN report
From CNN’s Kevin Dotson
A working draft of Major League Baseball's health and safety manual for the shortened 2020 season contains rigorous rules aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 as well as protocols for frequent testing and screening, according to a copy first obtained by
The Athletic and later by
ESPN.
The 67-page document, according to The Athletic and ESPN, is a draft and is subject to change.
Coronavirus testing measures outlined in the document would include frequent testing for players, and those who regularly come in close proximity to players, such as managers, coaches, and umpires.
The MLB would strive to use the least invasive and fastest commercially available testing methods without impacting public health needs. Asymptomatic individuals would be screened at least twice a day, required to self-screen at home each morning and tested multiple times a week. Any individual testing positive or displaying symptoms would be required to immediately self-isolate and consult with medical staff.
Many of the rules proposed in the document would alter some traditional baseball norms. To name a few, teams would not physically exchange lineup cards and players would be prohibited from spitting, chewing tobacco or sunflower seeds, high-fiving, or throwing the ball "around the horn."
Social distancing would also be encouraged in the dugout and during the national anthem, and non-playing personnel must wear masks in the dugout.