Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred recently confirmed the return of baseball for the 2020 season. After weeks of doubt that baseball would even be played this summer, and disagreements between the MLB Players Association and the league, America’s pastime is officially coming back.
“Major League Baseball is thrilled to announce that the 2020 season is on the horizon. We have provided the Players Association with a schedule to play 60 games and are excited to provide our great fans with Baseball again soon,” Commissioner Manfred said in the MLB’s announcement.
The Cincinnati Reds have announced plans to kick off the season in late July, with their first game of the season slated for July 23 or July 24 — sans fans in the stands at Great American Ball Park.
While people are excited about the return of the Reds, they aren’t the only baseball team in the Greater Cincinnati area that fans are anxious to resume rooting for. The newly renamed Florence Y’alls (formerly the Florence Freedom) of the independently operated Frontier League are also making their return to the ballpark at UC Health Stadium in Florence, Kentucky.
“With the approval of Governor Beshear, the Florence Y’alls, presented by Towne Properties, will be playing baseball in 2020. Fans can expect to see baseball being played at UC Health Stadium within the next 3-4 weeks,” the team announced.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced that outdoor venues, including ballparks, could reopen at 50% capacity on June 29.
While it’s unclear if fans will be able to return to MLB games at all this season, you can grab your live baseball fix when the Y’alls resume play in a month or so. The Frontier League’s return will line up with the MLB’s expected return in late July, so you can watch your favorite Major League teams from home and then head down to UC Health Stadium to get that ballpark experience.
“We cannot wait to have fans back in the stadium for baseball,” said Hannah Siefert, Florence Y'alls Director of Fan Communications. “This is what we prepare all off-season for.”
The Frontier League will not, however, be playing for a championship this year as many teams are in areas with extended restrictions due to coronavirus.
But for the sake of the sport (and the free parking) it’s definitely worth checking out a Y’alls game when the season resumes.
For updates and a Florence Y’alls game schedule, visit florenceyalls.com.
