Alex Anthopoulos does not expect any Braves players to opt out of playing in 2020

Bill Shanks talked with Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos on whether any of his players could opt out of playing for the 2020 season

Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said he does not believe any of his players will not play this season. 

Monday we saw several players decide to not play for the 2020 season.

Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross of the Nationals announced they would not be playing. Zimmerman, who has a newborn child at home and a parent with a pre-existing condition, said he was not retiring but did not feel comfortable with playing this season.

Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond said he would not be playing. "“The COVID-19 pandemic has made this baseball season one that is a risk I am not comfortable taking," Desmond said.” He explained that he wants to stay home “with a pregnant wife and four young children who have lots of questions about what’s going on in the world.”

The first player to announce Monday they would not play this season was Arizona right-hander Mike Leake. 

Leake's agency released this statement: "During this global pandemic, Mike and his family had many discussions about playing this season. They took countless factors into consideration, many of which are personal to him and his family. After thorough consideration, he has chosen to opt out of playing in 2020. This was not an easy decision for Mike. He wishes the best of luck and health for his Diamondback teammates this season and he’s looking forward to 2021."

Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays at 3:00 p.m. ET on Middle Georgia’s ESPN. You can listen online at TheSuperStations.com. Follow Bill on Twitter at @billshanks and you can email him at thebillshanksshow@yahoo.com.