The league is awaiting input from the union on the lockdown concept and how families might fit into postseason bubbles, sources say. The union, which negotiated a $50 million bonus pool for the players and has worked closely with the league on health and safety protocols, is thought to be open to any ideas that will help avoid outbreaks of the virus and ensure the completion of the postseason.
One postseason plan under discussion, according to sources, is for the American League playoffs to be played at two of the three parks in Southern California: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Petco Park in San Diego. The National League playoffs would take place at the two parks in Texas: Minute Maid Park in Houston and Globe Life Field in Arlington. The World Series likely would be in Arlington to help MLB and Fox Sports maximize television ratings from the Central time zone.
Other regions still might draw consideration. No plan will be final until it receives ownership approval. And for now, the sites for the wild-card round remain an open question. The advantage of playing the round at home parks would be to cut in half, from 16 to eight, the number of teams that would end up in bubbles. The more people who enter a bubble, the more difficult the environment is to control.