MLB is ready to take center stage once again

We are one step closer to the return of Major League Baseball, as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is set to impose a 60 game season.

Finally, after weeks of wrangling and bad press, we have something. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has moved forward, using his prerogative to establish a 60 game schedule, provided that the players agree to return to spring training part two at the beginning of July. The slate of games would begin sometime around the 24th, with the regular season crammed into roughly ten weeks.

Obviously, there is still a lot that needs to happen before the games can begin. The players need to approve the health and safety protocols, something which is expected to happen without issue. Finally, this ongoing saga may be over.

But there are other obstacles outside of the player’s and owner’s control. Canada has yet to open their border with the United States, potentially leaving the Blue Jays homeless. Florida, Arizona, and Texas have seen major surges in outbreaks since loosening restrictions. The pandemic will ultimately have a say in whether or not the season happens, regardless of any agreement.

But this is, at minimum, a step in the right direction. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, one that is not just the headlamp of the oncoming train. As is usually the case come spring training, hope springs eternal. In this case, that hope is that baseball will actually happen.

Frankly, it is needed. No matter what, Major League Baseball has been a comforting presence over the years. Through war, economic downturns, political and racial strife, and even past pandemics, the game was a constant. It was something that the weary could turn to, and for a few hours, forget about the troubles of the world.

But baseball is more than that. It is a bridge, a bonding experience shared across generations and cultures. It is a way to unite fans, regardless of ideology, race, or class. It is a reminder that we are all one, brought together by common interests. Baseball can help begin the healing process.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is ready to implement a 60 game schedule to bring the game back. Its comforting presence is sorely missed during times like these.