MLB Likely to Make Weird Changes to Bullpens and Dugouts in 2020 for Safety Reasons

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and team owners have devised a plan to begin the 2020 regular season, but the whole thing is hinging on approval from the players' union. While pay structure has been a reported issue for players, the most important thing for them is their safety during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. We've received dribs and drabs of some protocols, but now we've got the answer to the question of what the league will do with dugouts and bullpens -- and it's weird. Good weird.

According to the Wall Street Journal, locker rooms, dugouts, and bullpens will likely be arranged in a different manner to enforce social distancing. But perhaps the strangest rule of them all is that relief pitchers that aren't warming up in the bullpen will sit in the empty seats in the stands.

It's an out of the box idea for MLB, but it's necessary.

Major League Baseball can't follow the Korean Baseball Organization's protocols of allowing every player to stand and sit next to each other in the dugouts and bullpens. South Korea has managed to lower the amount of daily COVID-19 cases in the country to the single digits. The United States still can't say that, as the country is still dealing with daily cases in 20,000 range. Hence, why these steps are being implemented by MLB.

While the league is confident in its ability to begin the season later this summer, the players have shown apprehension about it. Will they have enough testing to ensure the safety of not only themselves, but part-time stadium workers and media members? How will MLB deal with a potential second wave of coronavirus this fall?

Either way, MLB has a plan to allow players to properly practice social distancing during this ongoing pandemic. And while it may look odd, it simply has to happen.