After shortening the 2020 Major League Baseball regular season, the COVID-19 pandemic is already impacting the offseason, as the league announced Friday the cancellation of both the owners meetings in November and the winter meetings in December. Instead, agendas will be conducted virtually as needed.
The cancellation of the winter meetings is a big blow to the sport because it’s the annual time for organizations — both on the major league and minor league side — to come together in one place. Job fairs, trade shows and award announcements are normal winter meetings events, along with trade talks. None will take place in person in 2020.
The general managers meetings, held in early November, had already been canceled. The owners meetings were scheduled for Nov. 17-19 in Arlington, Texas, while the winter meetings were to be held Dec. 7-10 in nearby Dallas.
Baseball has not announced any changes to the schedule for spring training, but it’s possible it won’t start on time, according to sources familiar with the situation.