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Pirates' Kela: Close contact 'inevitable' during games

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Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Keone Kela is confident the 2020 season will be played, though he's unsure whether Major League Baseball's proposed social-distancing measures will work.

"It's hard to do because if you hit a single, you're standing next to the first baseman," Kela told Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "If you're turning a double play and you have someone sliding into second, you're going to come into close contact. It's inevitable."

The league's suggested safety protocols include wearing masks, frequent hand-washing, and keeping a distance of six feet during the national anthem and God Bless America.

However, as Kela says, players could still be put at risk during live baseball situations. He believes the only way it will work is if there is frequent testing and players are honest about their health.

"If you do get proper testing and everybody is truthful about getting symptoms and can come forward, we can handle this and continue to move forward," Kela added. "We have to be fast. I figure if the season is to start any later, we're trying to extend it to October and November, flu season is coming up pretty soon, as well."

The MLBPA submitted a response Thursday to the league's safety proposal, though details of the "wide-ranging" reply were not made public.

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