Atlanta Braves: 2020 Season Hanging on by a Thread Due to COVID-19

It seems like every day we get closer to baseball being canceled and the 2020 season for the Atlanta Braves coming to end. Here’s the latest.

On Friday night the Atlanta Braves proved why this game is so important for a lot of us. Yes, it’s just a game, but it can bring us so much joy and happiness. And we all need as much of that as we can get right now.

But it seems like every time I look at Twitter there are games getting canceled due to COVID-19 or someone else is testing positive.

And while I selfishly want baseball — and sports in general — in my life, we all have to realize that health concerns are far more important.

That’s why MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had a stern talk with Tony Clark to get a message across to the players that they have to do a better job of protecting themselves and those around them or this season will be canceled.

And that’s where we are, it feels like the 2020 MLB season is hanging on by a thread.

This really all started in Atlanta, but it wasn’t the Braves.

When the Miami Marlins came to Atlanta for an exhibition game before the season several players allegedly went out and contracted the virus that has now spread to nearly half the team.

As a result, Miami hasn’t played in days and won’t until at least the beginning of next week as they scramble to bring in more players to field a lineup.

This one outbreak has interrupted this season for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Philadelphia Phillies as the Marlins started the season in Philadelphia.

Of course, the Blue Jays season is already a mess as they’re not welcomed in their hometown (Canada is probably saying, “I told you so,” at this point).

Recent positive tests in the Cardinals clubhouse has led to their series with the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend getting pushed back.

We’ve already had 12 games postponed this week alone due to the virus and that number will likely rise over the weekend.

Fortunately for Braves fans, they haven’t been affected yet, but it seems like it’s only a matter of time.

The Braves are supposed to start a series in Philadelphia next weekend where the outbreak first started.

It sounds like the players took Manfred’s message to heart. While watching games Friday night it was obvious players were being more cautious with their celebrations.

I mean, normally, you would have seen Freddie Freeman hugging everyone after that Travis d’Aranud double that cleared the bases to give the Atlanta Braves the lead on Friday night.

Instead what you got was awkward air high-fives, but that didn’t stop my excitement as I screamed and ran around my house.

This game is still fun and this season can still be fun. But just like it’s up to us to be smart in our every day lives to protect ourselves and those around us, it’s up to the players to do the same.

As Jon Heyman tweets here after hearing from management (whoever that is), if protocols are followed playing baseball is just as safe — if not safer — than any other normal day-to-day activity.

I want to watch more baseball this season. And I feel most of the players want to play more baseball — and get paid. It’s up to them.