Yankees and Mets will train in New York, not Florida, Cuomo announces
The Yankees and Mets will resume training for the 2020 MLB season on their home turf "for the first time in years," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.
"I think New York now is especially attractive, compared to the other states, because we have such a low transmission rate, and this is a state that is ready, willing and able to partner with sports teams so that they can play," he said, The Associated Press reported.
The Mets had been deciding between training at Citi Field in Queens, New York, and their camp located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, while the Yankees had intended to train in Tampa, according to the AP.
"As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this afternoon, the New York Yankees will hold a potential spring training resumption at Yankee Stadium," the Yankees said in a statement Saturday. "We will continue to follow Major League Baseball's guidelines and protocols, and we will vigilantly work with Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio and their health authorities, as well as with federal officials and Major League Baseball's own medical and infectious disease experts, to ensure our facility maintains the best possible safety standards."
Cuomo said in a tweet the state "will review the teams' plans to make sure the trainings are safe."
The news comes after MLB decided to temporarily close all spring training facilities in Florida and Arizona for cleaning. Multiple facilities in the two states had an outbreak of COVID-19 this week, according to CBS Sports.
On Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies had eight positive cases of coronavirus among players and personnel at their field in Clearwater, Florida. Just 2.4 miles away from the Phillies facility at the Toronto Blue Jays' spring complex in Dunedin, a pitcher started to show coronavirus symptoms. A Houston Astros player also tested positive for the virus while training in Palm Beach, Florida.
A new report this week warned that Florida "has all the makings" to be the "next large epicenter" of the coronavirus pandemic. Florida has had consecutive record-breaking jumps in cases this week, including more than 4,000 new cases on Saturday.
The schedule for the 2020 baseball season is still unclear, as the league and the MLB Players Association continue negotiations on how to safely complete the season amid the pandemic and fairly pay players for a limited season.
