In what seems like the only way to have professional sports in a post-COVID world, the MLB is considering using a bubble setup similar to the NBA’s format. This comes off the heels of two major outbreaks in the MLB with the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals both having their seasons suspended after more than 10 members of each team tested positive with the Cardinals not playing a game since July 29. According to ESPN, the playoffs would likely start in three areas then move to two hubs and the format would look something like this:
- The three-game National League wild-card round, played in three days, would stage the No. 1 seed vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7 and No. 3 vs. No. 6 at Dodger Stadium. The same American League seeds would play at Angel Stadium, about 30 miles southeast in Anaheim. The Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in both leagues would face off at Petco Park in San Diego.
- The NL Division Series would hold two games per day at Dodger Stadium and the ALDS two games per day at Angel Stadium.
- The NLCS would be held at Dodger Stadium and the ALCS at Angel Stadium, or both would be played at a single site.
- The World Series would be held at a single site or perhaps both.
Let’s hope this isn’t too little too late after the MLB seemed to go into its restart blindly hoping against hope that everything would turn out okay and instead it has been a disastrous season so far with two damaging outbreaks and more players opting out seemingly every day. Talks are very preliminary at this point but the discussions are being taken seriously enough that one official told ESPN: “If we want to make sure we get through October, we really need to get this right.”
