MLB announces World Series to be played in Texas, first neutral site since 1944

Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, will host the World Series in October, marking the first time since the 1940s that baseball’s championship will be played at a neutral site.

The league also announced the neutral sites will be used in Los Angeles, San Diego, Arlington and Houston starting with the Division Series, with the league citing “health, safety and competitive considerations” for the changes amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Other professional leagues have used a bubble system successfully in avoiding COVID-19 infections, including the NBA and WNBA in Orlando, Fla., and the NHL holding its playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton in Canada. 

Major League Baseball started its season on July 23 and almost immediately ran into coronavirus issues with two outbreaks among the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, though no players were hospitalized.

The league has since seen few postponements in its schedule after getting the situation relatively under control.  

This year’s MLB postseason will feature an unprecedented 16 teams, up from the usual 10, starting on Sept. 29.  

The World Series is slated to begin on Oct. 20.