Major League Baseball to return in July with 60-game schedule

Major League Baseball (MLB) is officially set to return after the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) accepted the terms for a 60-game season.

Players will now report to training camp by July 1 in advance of the 2020 schedule getting underway on either July 23 or 24.

It is set to be the sport’s shortest professional season since 1878.

The agreement comes after months of negotiations between the MLB and MLBPA on how to proceed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement: “Major League Baseball is thrilled to announce that the 2020 season is on the horizon. We have provided the Players Association with a schedule to play 60 games and are excited to provide our great fans with Baseball again soon.”

The MLBPA said in a short tweet: “All remaining issues have been resolved and Players are reporting to training camps.”

On Monday, MLB announced that clubs had unanimously voted to proceed with the 2020 season under the terms of a March agreement, which gave Manfred the power to unilaterally impose a schedule if the two sides were unable to reach common ground.