Report: MLB won't shut down if a player tests positive for coronavirus

Ahead of Saturday's UFC 249 show, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and two of his cornermen tested positive for coronavirus. While Souza was pulled from the card and the three men were told to self-isolate away from non-infected individuals, the mixed martial arts event went on as planned.

It appears Major League Baseball may implement similar protocol if the season begins in the summer.

As SNY's Danny Abriano wrote, one MLB executive told SNY reporter Andy Martino that the league won't immediately shut down if a player tests positive for the virus during the campaign. Rather, he and anybody else on his team who tests positive would be required to isolate for a period of time. Such players would be replaced by members of a team's "taxi squad."

This differs from how the NBA handled matters on March 11 when the league indefinitely suspended play after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus. Donovan Mitchell, Gobert's teammate, also tested positive.

Both men were later cleared of the virus.

MLB owners are prepared to submit a proposal to the MLB Players Association that could result in the season starting around July 4. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported negotiations between the two parties are expected to be "contentious."