Let’s start tracking the opt-outs for the 2020 season.
Major League Baseball has given players who are deemed “high-risk” -- meaning, those whose health is compromised and thus who may face more serious consequences if they contract COVID-10 -- the option to opt out of playing and not lose their prorated season salaries or service time for the 2020 season. Players are are not “high-risk” can still opt-out if they wish, but they will not be paid.
Fifteen players have opted-out out the 2020 season due to health concerns. One of them has opted-back in. Here is the complete list of players who have done so:
- Mike Leake, Diamondbacks
- Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals
- Joe Ross, Nationals
- Ian Desmond, Rockies
- Tyson Ross, Free Agent
- David Price, Dodgers
- Welington Castillo, Nationals
- Félix Hernández, Braves
- Nick Markakis, Braves -- who then opted back in on July 29
- Hector Noesi, Pirates
- Buster Posey, Giants
- Michael Kopech, White Sox
- Jordan Hicks, Cardinals
- Collin McHugh, Red Sox
- Tim Collins, Rockies
- Lorenzo Cain, Brewers
In addition to those players, tracking the opt outs reveals that 11 umpires have reportedly called it a year as well. Ten have been named. They are Tom Hallion, Mike Winters, Fieldin Culbreth, Phil Cuzzi, Brian Gorman, Jerry Layne, Scott Barry, Kerwin Danley, Sam Holbrook, and Gerry Davis were reported publicly. It’s unclear who the eleventh is.
We’ll continue to update this post, tracking the opt-outs, if and when more players decide to pack it in for 2020.
