Good morning, Athletics Nation!
The talks between MLB and the players union are ongoing, as the two sides discuss the details of starting a 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic. There are lots of issues on the table, from money to logistics to player safety, but one topic in particular came up in the news cycle yesterday: the designated hitter.
The idea of adding a universal DH for the 2020 season has already been floating around for a while. The latest return-to-play proposal included a plan in which the AL and NL remain intact as leagues in the standings, but the teams only play against opponents from their own geographic regions — so, the A’s would only play AL West and NL West clubs.