The Indians have closed their offices at Progressive Field. They will also suspend operations at their complex in Goodyear, Arizona on Friday. There were only a “handful” of players still going to the Goodyear complex. Most of which were undergoing treatment for different injuries.
“We wanted to make sure we were doing everything we could to maintain the health and wellness of our players and our staff,” Antonetti said. “The guidance we’re getting from health experts is that the best decision would be to stop that activity all together and that’s what we’ll do.”
There are still some players that remain in Arizona, but the team has arranged for food to be delivered to them and their families to help limit the number of times they need to leave their homes.
The academy in the Dominican remains open, but the number of people in the facility has been reduced.
Most gyms across the country are closed, which means players won’t be able to do their normal workouts. The Indians know that it’s going to be next to impossible for players to stay in ‘baseball shape.’
“Our primary focus is on the health and well-being of our players, their families and the communities in which they live,” Antonetti said. “We are strongly recommending all of our players, all of our staff members to adhere to the social distancing guidelines and the best practices that health organizations are providing. If at this point that means baseball workouts are secondary, then they’re secondary.”
No one knows how long it’ll be until teams can get back to normal baseball activities. The Indians are preparing for this to last months, not weeks.
The Indians will still pay their minor league players, despite the start of the season being delayed.
“With respect to our Minor League guys, we recognize the hardship this could impose upon them,” Antonetti said. “We wanted to make sure we did our part to try to help them as best as we possibly could, especially in the transition back home.”