Rays Reportedly Will Furlough Some Full-Time Employees Because of COVID-19

The Tampa Bay Rays are reportedly planning to furlough a portion of their full-time employees in the face of remaining uncertainty about when baseball will return during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported the news, noting the American League East team is the first known Major League Baseball team to plan furloughs, which start Saturday.

What's more, some members of the baseball operations department will see their salary cut.

Topkin explained the furloughs are considered temporary, although there is no set timetable for when they will end with no set plan for the sport's return. There is also the possibility games will be played at remote locations outside of Tropicana Field with no fans, meaning ticket sales workers and those who work inside the stadium on game days will not be as needed.

The Rays are covering the costs of health insurance for those furloughed, although they canceled the internship program.

According to Topkin, "it is believed to be considerably less than half" of Tampa Bay's 400-500 full-time employees who are being furloughed.

This comes after Mike Puma of the New York Post reported the New York Mets are cutting the pay of all full-time employees starting June 1 even if there does end up being a 2020 baseball season.

Puma noted the San Diego Padres did so as well and said other teams are expected to follow suit.

As for the Rays, they are one of the game's least profitable franchises but were still valued at $1.05 billion—28th in the league—in Forbes' annual ranking of MLB's most valuable teams.

Baseball could eventually be on the way back, as Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported "there is growing optimism" there will be a season. He also noted July 1 "is a good estimate for the goal and the date heard most."