reopen nyc

Reopen News: Mets and Yankees hold full workouts at Citi Field amid coronavirus precautions

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Friday, July 3, 2020

QUEENS, New York (WABC) -- Baseball has returned!

The Mets have their full workout Friday at Citi Field in Queens. And the Yankees will have their first team workout Saturday.

And the staff for both teams are working on getting players ready while taking safety precautions.

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole was able to throw a three-inning simulated game Thursday, with Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Luke Voit hitting.

Like everyone, the teams are evaluating players, working on getting pitchers in a routine and rhythm.

In an effort to keep everyone healthy, players' practices have been staggered throughout the day.

They are using both dugouts and less staff.

The Mets and Yankees are officially heading back to work in New York City for the 2020 season.

The Mets are starting their second spring training of the season Friday.

Mets manager Luis Rojas described the challenges of holding an unconventional spring training.

"We're in constant communication as far as getting better with behavior and discipline on how we do things both on and off the field," he said. "We're very optimistic that we'll come into camp, that we finish the process and get into the season and finish it. That's our goal."

And while the season will certainly start without fans, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says the team does expect to see fans in the stadium sometime this season.

WATCH EYEWITNESS TO A PANDEMIC (Episode 4)

It overwhelmed the health care industry, it put millions out of work, it drowned social services in an ocean of need and threatened the food supply Americans had long since taken for granted. At the apex of the crisis and for the weeks that followed, no part of life, or even what followed life, was spared.