MLB allows players to go home

Major League Baseball is allowing players to go home, making the decision a day after cancelling the rest of the spring training schedule and postponing opening day by at least two weeks amid the coronavirus outbreak.

After a meeting in Arizona on Friday that included baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, union head Tony Clark and their top aides, players were told they could remain at spring training, report to the team's home city or go to their own home. The league also announced it was suspending spring training camps.

New York Yankees players decided as a group to remain in Tampa, Florida.

"Everyone wants to stay here and get ready to go whenever the season starts back," reliever and team union rep Zack Britton said.

"(Owner) Hal Steinbrenner spoke to us. He's going to give us access to the facility. They're going to supply us with breakfast in the morning. "

MLB announced Thursday the season will be delayed at least two weeks from its scheduled start on March 26, while teams speculated the season might not start until sometime in May, necessitating a reduced schedule.

MLB and the union discussed the need for likely two-to-four weeks of workouts ahead of openers once the date for the season's start has been set.