PEORIA, Ariz. — At spring-training facilities in Arizona and Florida, the exodus of players is growing with each day, along with the stark realization that baseball of any sort — besides individual workouts — won’t happen any time soon due to the spread of the novel coronavirus and its illness, COVID-19.
On Monday several players could be seen exiting the Mariners’ facility with multiple bags, loading them into their vehicles and preparing to head home, wherever that may be.
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Following the memo sent by Major League Baseball to all 30 teams Sunday — which banned all group workouts and amended policies for players on the 40-man roster, non-roster invitees and minor league players — many players who at first opted to remain at spring training in hopes of a quick resolution to this problem realized that’s not going to happen.