MLB Discusses Possibility to Delay Season Start to April 28

America’s Major League Baseball may delay the start of its season from April 1 to April 28 and reduce the season to 154 games from 162.

MLB Readies to Move Season to End of April  

Major League Baseball (MLB) is looking to delay its start of the season by at least a month, the Associated Press has reported. MLB has cited pandemic risks and fears, which will be put to a good test during the Super Bowl game on February 8, and see the first attempt to organize a mass event in the United States since the pandemic suspended most sports in March last year.

According to sources, MLB’s new season ought to start on April 28 and the season will be further cut from the planned 162 games to 154, to account for some additional travelling time and safety measures, as well as meet the planned end date.

As an upside, the playoffs would feature 14 teams instead of the traditional 10, and the league plans on keeping the seven-inning doubleheaders and beginning extra innings as experimental rules for yet another season.

Spring training should begin on March 22, said the Associated Press, citing two people close to the matter. If the season is pushed back to April 28, though, the end date would remain fairly the same.

As it stands, MLB was preparing to wrap up the season on October 3, but a change of schedule would lead to October 10 as the end day, possible thanks to the reduced schedule the league is now suggesting.

Rob Manfred, the commissioner for the league, said that he would like to know all there is about what team owners thought about delaying the start of the season by this Monday.

Sorting out Player Pay

MLB has had its fair share of misfortunate events with salaries, not least because traditionally baseball players have been chronically underpaid to the point where they have been involved in the most game-rigging scandals.

Worse, the pecking order of the MLB suggests that as a rookie you ought to put in hard work, but the older you become, the more settled and better-paid you get, even if you are not putting in as much effort anyway.

However, the league does not intend to tie the reduction in overall games with cutting player remuneration for the season and 100% of salaries ought to be paid out to players, the AP wrote. The date of the World Series would be bumped to November 10, or thereabouts, as broadcast partners would need to be consulted to choose a correct date.

However, the return of 154 games is definitely good. In 2020, the season was cut to a grinding halt, with all 162 games slashed down to 60, and gate receipts draining, leaving the league with a gaping deficit hole.