When the Orioles traded lefty Richard Bleier to the Marlins on Aug. 1, he expected some logistical challenges: moving homes, stocking a new locker, learning where the bathrooms are. But baseball in 2020 has provided at least one additional hurdle.
“The biggest thing is that with a mask, I’m like, Who is that again?” says Bleier. “I can only see half of someone’s face. I’m trying to figure out who all these people are. I’ll have the same conversation three times in a row because I think I’m talking to someone new.”
Joining a new club can be challenging in the best of times, and these are not the best of times.