BY JAKE SEINER, NEW YORK — Exhibition games in Washington, New York and Pittsburgh on Saturday gave Major League Baseball its first look at coronavirus-era games, fake crowd noise and all.
Still, for clubs limited to practices and intrasquads in their own ballparks for the past two weeks, Saturday stood as an important mile marker as baseball tries to start a shortened 60-game season next Thursday amid a pandemic.
Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius hit the first home run off Nationals ace Max Scherzer and watched it leave the park over the top of his face mask.
Gregorius is high-risk for the coronavirus and is wearing a mask at all times this season.
