Report: MLB players, coaches view stay-at-home plan as most viable

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Major League Baseball's reported plan to start the delayed 2020 season in 10-12 states seems to be the most serious of those considered during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, sources told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Multiple players and coaches view the potential plan - which could allow games to be played at up to 20 home ballparks - as the most viable option because they've heard more about it through official channels, Acee reports.

The league's stay-at-home proposal reportedly includes staging a second spring training in home cities.

MLB would prefer to start the campaign July 1, according to Acee, who adds that Aug. 1 is a drop-dead date for a season with at least 100 games so that the postseason doesn't carry over past November. It's believed the league doesn't want to host playoff contests in December because it could impact the start of the 2021 campaign.

Other ideas that the league has reportedly discussed include realigning the 30 clubs into three 10-team divisions based on geography, isolating all teams in Arizona, a tri-state format using stadiums in Arizona, Texas, and Florida, and realigning into 15-team leagues based on spring training locations.

Stars such as Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw have already publicly voiced their displeasure with the idea of potentially leaving their families to play in isolation.