MLB Cancels 2020 All-Star Game amid Pandemic; Dodgers to Host in 2022
July 3, 2020
With the 2020 MLB season shortened to 60 games because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 MLB All-Star Game originally scheduled for July 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles was officially canceled Friday.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement that the Dodgers will host the 2022 MLB All-Star Game instead:
"Once it became clear we were unable to hold this year's All-Star festivities, we wanted to award the Dodgers with the next available All-Star Game, which is 2022. I want to thank the Dodgers organization and the city of Los Angeles for being collaborative partners in the early stages of All-Star preparation and for being patient and understanding in navigating the uncertainty created by the pandemic. The 2022 All-Star celebration promises to be a memorable one with events throughout the city and at picturesque Dodger Stadium."
In addition to the All-Star Game itself, all other All-Star-related activities, including the Home Run Derby, have been canceled this year.
The 2021 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled to be held at the Atlanta Braves' Truist Park.
MLB has had an All-Star Game every year since 1933 with the exception of 1945, when it was canceled during World War II. According to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, MLB held interleague exhibition games during the All-Star break that season to raise money for the American Red Cross and National War Fund.
This season, MLB is on a time crunch as the season will begin July 23. Teams will play nearly every day to complete their 60-game schedules, and then the playoffs will be held. The plan is for the World Series to end before the start of November, which would allow teams to prepare as usual for the 2021 season.
It remains unclear if fans will be allowed to attend games this season, and the potential absence of fans would have negatively impacted the All-Star festivities.
Had the 2020 season and All-Star Game happened as scheduled, the National League team likely would have been stacked with Dodgers such as outfielders Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger, shortstop Corey Seager and pitchers Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen.
When the Dodgers host the Midsummer Classic, it will mark the third time they have staged the All-Star Game since moving to Los Angeles, as they also hosted in 1959 and 1980.
The Dodgers hosted the 1949 All-Star Game while they were based in Brooklyn.