New York Yankees: Today was supposed to be the beginning of the 2020 season

Today was supposed to be the day. The beginning of a new baseball season. Opening Day 2020 for Major League Baseball. The Yankees were supposed to be at Camden Yards to face the Orioles.

This was going to be one of the more anticipated Opening Day’s in Yankees history. Unfortunately, it’s not happening and it likely won’t for a long time becasue of the coronavirus pandemic that has impacted everyone worldwide. First and foremost, the health and safety of everyone is the top priority during this unprecedented time.

Gerrit Cole was supposed to deliver his first pitch in a Yankees uniform after signing a record-breaking deal with New York back in December. Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Luis Severino, and James Paxton were not going to be on the Opening Day roster because of injuries, but it doesn’t matter. The baseball season was here.

There was good news in recent days that Stanton was ready to play in rehab games and Hicks had begun his throwing program, which is a good sign that he was progressing in the right direction from Tommy John surgery.

Gio Ursehla was going to be the starter at third base after he posted a breakout campaign in 2019 that saw him fill in well above expectations for the injured Miguel Andujar. Speaking of Andujar, this was supposed to be his return to the Yankees following season-ending labrum surgery last May. After showing so much promise in his rookie year in 2018 his bat was finally returning to the heart of the Yankee lineup.

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We were going see Gleyber Torres at shortstop full-time taking over the Didi Gregorius who signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason. DJ LeMahieu moved back to second base and was set to begin his second season for the Bombers coming off of an MVP caliber year in the leadoff spot.

Luke Voit was set to begin his second full season with the Yankees at first base with his power bat with Mike Ford behind him on the depth chart. In the outfield, the longest-tenured Yankees Brett Gardner was going to be making another Opening Day start in his 13th season in pinstripes. Mike Tauchman likely would’ve flanking him in left field with Clint Frazier in right field with Stanton and Judge beginning the season on the IL.

The bullpen is expected to have another strong year for manager Aaron Boone and would have been used to hopefully secure Cole’s first win as a Yankee.

None of that will happen today because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Baseball will be back someday and when it does, it will hopefully bring relief to the fans from this horrible virus. The health and safety of all is more important right now than baseball.