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Under the terms between the league and its players, MLB players can, if they so choose, opt out of the 2020 season if they so choose. If they are considering ‘at-risk’ when it comes to COVID-19 infection, they will receive their salaries like everyone else. If they are not, however, then they will not receive their salaries for the 2020 season at all. While it is possible that individual teams could alter this arrangement theoretically, this would mean that a player who has family that are ‘at-risk’ and wants to opt out to prevent exposure to them, they are out of luck.
At first glance, there didn’t seem to be a ton of players who were going to opt out without pay. It seemed very likely there were going to be some players, and coaches for that matter, with underlying medical conditions that would opt out with pay, but we hadn’t heard much in the way of players opting without getting a paycheck until today where we have seen several go that route. Below are the players who are opting out of the 2020 season along with links to the relevant reporting.
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Mike Leake was the first player to announce that he was going to opt out of the 2020 season
Atlanta Braves
- Felix Hernandez is opting out of the 2020 season
- Nick Markakis is opting out of the 2020 season
- First base coach Eric Young is opting out of the 2020 season
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox
- Michael Kopech is opting out of the 2020 season.
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Colorado Rockies
- Ian Desmond is opting out of the 2020 season
Detroit Tigers
Houston Astros
Kansas City Royals
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers
- David Price is opting out of the 2020 season
Miami Marlins
- Isan Diaz is opting out of the 2020 season
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins
New York Yankees
New York Mets
- Yoenis Cespedes is opting out of the 2020 season
Oakland Athletics
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
- Buster Posey is opting out of the 2020 season
Seattle Mariners
St. Louis Cardinals
Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Rangers
Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Nationals
- Joe Ross is opting out of the 2020 season
- Ryan Zimmerman is opting out of the 2020 season
- Wellington Castillo is opting out of the 2020 season