In a lengthy Instagram post that spanned nine pages of text, Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond announced he would be opting out of playing the 2020 season on Monday evening.
As part of the health and safety protocols agreed upon by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association, any player is allowed to opt out of playing in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Players who are high-risk are eligible to opt out without losing pro-rated salary or service time, but those not in said category will forgo said salary and service time.