MLB Delays Season Start For Minimum of Two Weeks Due to Coronavirus

MLB is joining other leagues in suspending play due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Major League Baseball announced Thursday it will delay the start of the regular season at least two weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

Spring training games have been cancelled as of 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. 

"MLB will continue to evaluate ongoing events leading up to the start of the season," MLB said in a statement. "Guidance related to daily operations and workouts will be relayed to Clubs in the coming days." 

Here is MLB's press release on the decision to suspend spring training and delay the start of the season at least two weeks. pic.twitter.com/xC0gEGg4w7

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) March 12, 2020

MLB's decision comes after the NBA decided to suspend its season due to the coronavirus on Wednesday, with the NHL and MLS following on Thursday. 

The ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten are among the college conferences that suspended athletics through March. 

MLB originally considered the idea of playing games at alternative sites due to the coronavirus. The A's, Mariners, Dodgers, Angels and Giants were already slated to move their regular-season games in March and April after state orders barred gatherings of over 250 people. 

There are more than 130,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide across at least 111 countries. Nearly 5,000 people have died.