Manfred meets with managers in hourlong chat session

[April 18, 2020]  Commissioner Rob Manfred assembled Major League Baseball managers for one hour Friday in a virtual session meant to answer questions teams have in a time of uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Athletic, which first reported the meeting took place, cited three managers who participated but said nothing substantive took place on the call.

Manfred on Thursday said that MLB would explore "all possibilities" regarding a return. The season was scheduled to begin March 26.

Spring training ended abruptly on March 13 and an upramp period for training is expected before the regular season could begin.

Among the ideas discussed, Manfred acknowledged, is playing all games in Arizona. Los Angeles Angels All-Star Mike Trout was skeptical of that plan in an interview this week with NBC Sports.

Rob Manfred, commissioner of Major League Baseball, takes part in the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in New York, U.S., February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Dr. Anthony Fauci told Snapchat in a three-part interview that sports could resume this summer, but it would be unsafe for fans to be in attendance. The critical factor, said Fauci, the foremost authority on infectious disease and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, would be widespread testing.

--Field Level Media

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