Boston Red Sox

Mar 25, 2019; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; On deck mat with MLB logo and gear in the first inning during a spring training game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com

Following a call between MLB teams and the commissioners office, the league is going forward with a number of scheduling changes in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report the news Thursday afternoon.

Spring Training will be suspended, with the suspension officially going into effect as early as Thursday night. Multiple games were already in action when the announcement was made, but Thursday evening’s games may not happen. The Boston Red Sox are off on Thursday.

In addition to suspending Spring Training, the league will likely push back Opening Day and delay the start of the season. According to Passan, that step is “a formality that ownership-level sources expect to happen.”

Multiple teams were already expected to play their home openers in empty ballparks or in alternate locations. The Red Sox were expected to open their season on the road March 26 in Toronto, with their home opener coming April 2. Both of those dates are now in question.

This is a developing story, more information will be added as it comes in…

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Hate mail? Let him hear it on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at Alexander.Barth@bbgi.com.