Major League Baseball believes the St. Louis Cardinals can go from playing five total games as of the evening of Aug. 14 to 60 contests by the end of September.
On Thursday, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal offered an update on the club that hasn't played since a July 29 loss to the Minnesota Twins because of a coronavirus outbreak that will keep St. Louis idle until Saturday at the earliest:
The Cardinals have still only played 5 games this MLB season. Will they be able to finish their schedule?@Ken_Rosenthal | @kevinburkhardt pic.twitter.com/hixXVcT8yi
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 13, 2020
What I said on Fox: League working with union on setting full Cardinals schedule. Players want additional doubleheaders to create off-days. League believes STL still could get close to 60 games, and maybe even to 60 by making up doubleheader if necessary day after season ends.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 13, 2020
Per Rosenthal, MLB and the MLB Players Association are working on a deal where the league would structure handfuls of doubleheaders through the remainder of the campaign to ensure the Cardinals would still have off days between now and Sep. 27, the final day of the season.
If required, the Cardinals could also play a doubleheader on the last Monday of September to get to 60 total games and draw level with every other club.
Friday's fixture between St. Louis and the Chicago White Sox was called off after a Cardinals coach reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. It's hoped those teams will be cleared to play a Saturday doubleheader.
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