HOUSTON (KXAN) — The Houston Astros opened team facilities at Minute Maid Park and in West Palm Beach, Florida for individual workouts on Monday.
The Astros laid out a long list of guidelines that players must follow while working out — including staggered workout times, separate baseballs for bullpen sessions and mandatory use of personal protective equipment for coaches and staff.
All personnel entering the facilities in Houston or Palm Beach will be screened and cleared by medial professionals, the organization says. Only four players will be allowed in the facility at one time with staggered workout times to allow for social distancing.
The Astros say, initially, workouts will be for the 40-man roster players, but some support from non-40-man roster may be required.
Players must wear masks when not working out — most of the player workouts will take place outdoors for proper ventilation.
The entire clubhouse and all other accessible areas will be cleaned and sanitized at the end of each day. Workouts will be closed to the media and the public.
“Our top priority remains the safety of our players, staff, and their families. That will never change,” said Astros General Manager James Click. “It’s exciting and a very positive step for our players to return to our facilities, even on a limited basis. This will give our players the benefit of receiving individual attention from our staff, who can provide professionalism and expertise. That is significant.”
The MLB season was scheduled to start on March 26, but all team activities grounded to a halt on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. MLB and the Players Association haven’t come to an agreement on when the season will start.
The New York Yankees, Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays opened their spring training facilities during the last week.
