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Desmond is the first player Major League
Baseball (MLB) is aware of to opt out of the 2021 season, a
league spokesman said, as America's pastime moves towards
another year playing under the shadow of the coronavirus
pandemic.
Desmond opted out of the 2020 season with the Rockies as well,
citing concerns about playing in the pandemic.
"Over the last few months, I've had tough conversations. I've
asked a lot of questions and done a lot of thinking. For now,
I've decided to opt out of the 2021 season," Desmond wrote on
Instagram on Sunday.
The 35-year-old, a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner who
previously played for the Washington Nationals and the Texas
Rangers, said he had the full backing of his team mates and
coaches.
"My desire to be with my family is greater than my desire to go
back and play baseball under these circumstances," said Desmond.
"I'm going to continue to train and watch how things unfold."
The Rockies, who are currently in Spring Training at Salt River
Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona, did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
The team is among about 10 franchises that have opened ballpark
doors to help administer COVID-19 vaccinations, as federal,
state and local officials scramble to inoculate frontline
workers and vulnerable people in the U.S., which is nearing
500,000 coronavirus deaths.
MLB and its players' association said on Friday that nine
players and four staff members tested positive for COVID-19
during the league's mandatory intake screening process.
The league's Opening Day is set for April 1. Earlier this month,
the league said it added a new code of conduct that precluded
certain "high-risk" activities.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery, editing by Ed Osmond)
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