A's Pitcher Sean Manaea Considering Wearing Mask in Games for 2020 MLB Season

Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea said Sunday he is considering wearing a mask while playing during the 2020 season.

"You know, wear something different or find a way to jazz it up, or find a way to rock it, I guess," Manaea told reporters.

It's unclear if Major League Baseball will place any restrictions on mask-wearing while on the field. Pitchers are often not allowed to wear anything that could distract hitters from seeing a pitch.

Manaea is expected to be one of the top arms in the A's rotation this season. He missed all but five starts in the 2019 season after undergoing shoulder surgery, posting a 4-0 record with a 1.21 ERA and 0.78 WHIP.

Few players have openly discussed wearing masks on the field, though their use could go a long way toward quelling any potential spread of COVID-19. Face masks may reduce the spread of the virus by up to 85 percent, according to a study backed by the World Health Organization (h/t Rachael Rettner of Live Science).

Thirty-one MLB players tested positive for COVID-19 during the first round of testing last week. With the season reduced to about one-third of its typical length, an absence for a COVID-positive player could mean the difference between a playoff berth and sitting out the postseason.