MLB is reportedly planning to relaunch its season with a very enticing matchup


Nearly four months after the 2020 Major League Baseball season was expected to start before the coronavirus pandemic shut down all major professional sports, the league reportedly has its sights set on an enticing Opening Day redux. The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals will host the New York Yankees on July 23 to launch what should be a weird, unpredictable 60-game season, The New York Post reports.
The Post notes that although the MLB Players' Union signed off on details about the new, regionally-based schedule (the two squads wouldn't have played this year at all under normal circumstances, let alone Opening Day), the product isn't finalized yet, so there's a chance things could change between now and then. Of course, it goes without saying that it's still unclear if play will even be possible since several states including California, Florida, and Texas — all of which have multiple MLB teams — have seen cases rise in recent weeks.
But if all does go according to plan, a Yankees-Nationals showdown isn't a bad way to get baseball up and rolling again. In that scenario, it's all but certain the Nationals would run out their veteran ace Max Scherzer against the Yankees' big ticket free agent acquisition Gerrit Cole, who faced Washington in the World Series last year as a member of the Houston Astros. It'll likely be a bittersweet moment for Nationals fans, however; they'll no doubt be excited to see their team back on their field, but the coronavirus will prevent them from attending and witnessing the raising of a World Series banner. Read more at The New York Post.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Scientists find hint of alien life on distant world
Speed Read NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected a possible signature of life on planet K2-18b
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
US proposes eroding species protections
Speed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Torpedo bats could revolutionize baseball and players are taking notice
In the Spotlight The new bats have been used by the New York Yankees with tremendous success
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey final
Speed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Dodgers' spending spree renews push for salary cap
The Explainer Spending limits might not be the answer that smaller market teams are looking for
By David Faris
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess champion
Speed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
How much is Juan Soto worth?
Today's big question Will the New York Mets regret the record-setting mega-contract signed by the coveted outfielder?
By David Faris
-
Major League Baseball's shaky future in Tampa
The Explainer New questions arise about a troubled franchise after Hurricane Milton wrecked the Trop
By David Faris
-
Europe roiled by attacks on Israeli soccer fans
Speed Read Israeli fans supporting the Maccabi Tel Aviv team clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters in 'antisemitic attacks,' Dutch authorities said
By Peter Weber, The Week US