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[See photos and follow live coverage from opening day.]
Baseball is doing its best to get things back to normal, restoring the 162-game season and starting the year with fans in the stands of every stadium.
Some policies set by Major League Baseball are locked in at every park, like fans being required to wear masks, but the policies diverge based on the rules in the city or state where the game is being played. Nothing, however, is set in stone, as the rules could be tightened or relaxed based on how things are going in terms of coronavirus infections.
Anthony S. Fauci, the United States government’s top infectious disease expert, said in a recent interview with “Face the Nation” that he expected the restrictions to lessen as the season progressed.
“I would expect that as we get through the summer — late spring, early summer — there’s going to be a relaxation where you’re going to have more and more people allowed into baseball parks, very likely separated with seating, very likely continue to wear masks,” he said.
Baltimore Orioles
Camden Yards
Capacity: 25 percent (~11,000 fans)
Notable: Fans will be seated in pods. Neck gaiters and masks with ventilation vents are not permitted.
Boston Red Sox
Fenway Park
Capacity: 12 percent (~4,000)
Notable: Health screenings are required before entry and no bags will be allowed.
New York Yankees
Yankee Stadium
Capacity: 20 percent (10,850)
Notable: Spectators need proof of a negative coronavirus test within 72 hours of the game or that they are vaccinated. The stadium will continue as a vaccination site through April.
Tampa Bay Rays
Tropicana Field
Capacity: ~20 percent (9,000)
Notable: This is only about 5,000 to 6,000 fewer than their average home attendance the last five pre-pandemic years.
Toronto Blue Jays
TD Bank Park
Capacity: 15 percent (~1,275)
Notable: With border crossings to Canada requiring 14-day quarantines, the Blue Jays are forced to start the season at their spring training site in Dunedin, Fla. Eventually they could transition to Buffalo or another U.S. city before a possible return to Toronto later in the season.
Chicago White Sox
Guaranteed Rate Field
Capacity: 22 percent (~8,900)
Notable: Upon request, the White Sox will provide ticket-holder info to state and city officials for contact tracing. While the team is allowed to host up to 25 percent of capacity, the White Sox are doing 22 percent because of distancing measures.
Minnesota Twins
Target Field
Capacity: ~26 percent (10,000)
Notable: Guests must give verbal responses to a health screening form at entrance gates.
Cleveland
Progressive Field
Capacity: 30 percent (~10,500)
Notable: Masks are mandatory and no bags are allowed (with exceptions for small clutch purses, diaper bags and medical bags).
Kansas City Royals
Kauffman Stadium
Capacity: 30 percent (~10,000)
Notable: Masks are mandatory and no bags are allowed (with exceptions for medical and child care bags).
Detroit Tigers
Comerica Park
Capacity: 20 percent (~8,200)
Notable: Guests are required to complete a health screening questionnaire before entry.
American League West
Houston Astros
Minute Maid Park
Capacity: 50 percent (~20,500)
Notable: Texas removed all capacity restrictions in the state, so the Astros may increase the team’s allowed attendance in May.
Los Angeles Angels
Angel Stadium
Capacity: 20 percent (~8,650)
Notable: When Orange County moves to its next coronavirus tier, attendance could go up to 33 percent.
Oakland Athletics
RingCentral Coliseum
Capacity: 20 percent (~9,000)
Notable: Ticket sales are restricted to California residents. All social spaces will be closed and tailgating is prohibited.
Seattle Mariners
T-Mobile Park
Capacity: ~20 percent (9,000)
Notable: The Mariners will use high-tech cleaning methods, including electrostatic sprayers of electrically charged disinfecting solution, UV-C light and an ionized air purification system.
Texas Rangers
Globe Life Field
Capacity: 100 percent (40,300)
Notable: The Rangers are the only team to allow full capacity on opening day, but Texas is expected to reduce the capacity for future games to allow for social distancing. The team’s first exhibition game of the season drew 12,911 fans.
National League East
Atlanta Braves
Truist Park
Capacity: 33 percent (~13,500)
Notable: The Braves, who also host the 2021 All-Star Game, will revisit their restrictions with each homestand.
Miami Marlins
Marlins Park
Capacity: 25 percent (~9,300)
Notable: The Marlins have adapted their drone technology, normally used for mosquito and weed control, to apply disinfectant throughout the ballpark.
New York Mets
Citi Field
Capacity: 20 percent (8,492)
Notable: The Mets will require fans to present proof of a negative coronavirus test or proof of vaccination before entering the stadium.
Philadelphia Phillies
Citizens Bank Park
Capacity: 20 percent (~8,800)
Notable: Gov. Tom Wolf has said that outdoor venues in Pennsylvania will be open at 50 percent capacity starting April 4.
Washington Nationals
Nationals Park
Capacity: 12.1 percent (5,000)
Notable: The Nats wanted far more fans to be allowed into the park, and will revisit the limits with D.C. officials for the second homestand, which starts April 15.
National League Central
Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field
Capacity: 25 percent (~10,000)
Notable: Masks are mandatory and no bags are allowed (with exceptions for small clutch purses, diaper bags and medical bags).
St. Louis Cardinals
Busch Stadium
Capacity: 32 percent (14,600)
Notable: Masks are mandatory and no bags allowed (with exceptions for diaper bags and medical bags).
Cincinnati Reds
Great American Ball Park
Capacity: 30 percent (12,700)
Notable: Masks are mandatory, but several bag types are allowed, including purses, food bags and soft-sided coolers under a certain size.
Milwaukee Brewers
American Family Field
Capacity: 25 percent (~10,500)
Notable: Masks are mandatory and no bags are allowed (with exceptions for small clutch purses, diaper bags and medical bags).
Pittsburgh Pirates
PNC Park
Capacity: 20 percent (~7,500)
Notable: Because the team’s home opener is not until April 8, it would be allowed up to 50 percent of capacity by Pennsylvania law, but it is allowing fewer because of social distancing measures.
National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks
Chase Field
Capacity: 25 percent (~12,000)
Notable: Ballpark officials reserve the right to conduct coronavirus screening and deny admission based on the results.
Colorado Rockies
Coors Field
Capacity: 42.6 percent (~21,400)
Notable: The picnic area and other standing-room gathering spots will be closed, and the team says, “Seeds and nuts in the shell will NOT be permitted at this time.”
Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodger Stadium
Capacity: 20 percent (~11,000)
Notable: Forget about watching much batting practice — gates to the ballpark will open only one hour before the first pitch.
San Diego Padres
Petco Park
Capacity: 20 percent (~10,000)
Notable: With the team on the rise at last, the Padres’ chief executive, Erik Greupner, said, “I think it will be the loudest 20 percent capacity crowd you’ve ever heard.”
San Francisco Giants
Oracle Park
Capacity: 20 percent (~8,400)
Notable: According to the team website, the Giants are planning “distinct zones within Oracle Park to prevent cross-traffic of fans throughout the building.”
Tyler Kepner, James Wagner and David Waldstein contributed reporting.
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