It started off as a normal spring training in Florida and Arizona until the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S in mid-March. MLB initially delayed Opening Day by two weeks, but the season's status quickly became unknown as the virus spread. Players were forced to find creative ways to train at home. By the time baseball started again, it was July. The league shortened its regular season from 162 games to only 60, and players were given the choice to opt-out of the season. Stars like David Price, Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Zimmerman sat out the season as a precaution to protect their families.
Games looked and sounded different, too. Fans were replaced by cardboard cutouts, and players noticed the unusual feeling of playing in an empty stadium. No fans cheering, no families present to support them, and most of all, no normalcy. Teams used piped-in crowd noise to attempt to mimic the same atmosphere that live fans bring to the ballpark.