Major League Baseball will delay its 2020 season's opening day by at least two weeks and spring training games will be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the league said Thursday.
The season had been scheduled to start March 26.
"This action is being taken in the interests of the safety and well-being of our players, clubs and our millions of loyal fans," the league said in a statement.
"MLB will continue to evaluate ongoing events leading up to the start of the season."
The league added it will announce effects on the schedule at an appropriate time and will remain flexible as events warrant, with the hope of resuming normal operations as soon as possible.
MLB had continued to play into Thursday, when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he strongly recommended to local authorities and organizers they limit all mass gatherings.
The big league season had been scheduled to start March 26, its earliest opening other than for international games.
MLB has not had a mass postponement of openers since 1995, when the season was shortened from 162 games to 144 following a 7 1/2-month strike that also wiped out the 1994 World Series. Opening day was pushed back from April 2 to April 26.
Player salaries were reduced by 11.1% in 1995 because the games were lost due to a strike.
If regular-season games are lost this year, MLB could attempt to reduce salaries by citing paragraph 11 of the Uniform Player's Contract, which covers national emergencies.
"This contract is subject to federal or state legislation, regulations, executive or other official orders or other governmental action, now or hereafter in effect respecting military, naval, air or other governmental service, which may directly or indirectly affect the player, club or the league," it says.
The provision also states the agreement is "subject also to the right of the commissioner to suspend the operation of this contract during any national emergency during which Major League Baseball is not played."
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
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