The 2020 MLB Postseason Moves To Bubble Sites

Major League Baseball took a big chance playing its regular season at home team stadiums. Early problems with COVID-19 outbreaks affected teams such as Miami and St. Louis. These outbreaks actually put the season in doubt back in early August. All told, 45 games have been postponed to date. However, baseball has persevered. It is on schedule to wrap up the 60-game regular season by the end of September.

What Bubble Sites Will The The 2020 MLB Postseason Moves To?

MLB officials are not about to make the same mistake twice. It was recently announced that the postseason will be played as specified locations to avoid any more issues with the coronavirus pandemic. The site of this year’s World Series will be the Texas Rangers’ new ball park in Arlington. Globe Life Field in Arlington will also host the NL Championship Series. The ALCS will be played in San Diego’s Petco Park.

The two NL Division Series will be held at Globe Life Field and Houston’s Minute Maid Park. The ALDS will take place in San Diego and at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Major League Baseball is also making plans for fans to attend the World Series. That stadium has 40,000 seats. The initial plan is go with 25 percent capacity for the best-of-seven series.

The overall playoffs have been expanded this season. The top four seeds in each league will still host a best-of-three wild card matchup in their home stadium. The remaining eight teams will shift to a MLB bubble environment to finish out the rest of the postseason.

The head of the MLB player’s union is Tony Clark. He was quoted as follows in a recent ESPN post:

“The agreement attempts to balance players’ experiences and concerns while making the accommodations necessary to best ensure a safe, healthy and successful conclusion to the 2020 season.”

From a betting standpoint, the lack of any homefield advantage could change the complexion of the games. The higher seed will get the edge as the designated home team in any bubble series.

The MLB has not committed to fans being allowed to attend the first two rounds of the playoffs. It is holding out hope that Globe Life Field can host a limited amount of fans for the 2020 World Series.

MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem weighed in on the situation:

“In the view of our infectious disease experts, the biggest risk of exposure for players and staff is contact with family members and friends who have been exposed to COVID-19 in their communities. Nearly all of the positive test results that have been reported for players and staff in the last month can be traced back to contact with an infected family member, domestic partner or friend outside of club facilities.”

He also mentioned that MLB and the player’s association are working out the final details of this plan. Part of this plan involves family members in attendance. They would stay at separate hotels at the four different playing sites. Visits would be supervised and held outdoors.