With no professional sports on the horizon, leagues have been searching for ways to reach their fans. The NBA has broadcasted actual players going head to head in NBA 2K20 on ESPN2. Last month, MLB took its first crack at esports when it partnered with MLB The Show 20 last month. The duo put on a mini-tournament, pitting four MLB players against one another. Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher Amir Garrett took home the crown after defeating the 2018 Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the finals.
Well, Garrett and Snell are back. Along with the other two contestants, outfielder Hunter Pence and pitcher/Twitch streamer Trevor May, the guys will be joining a pool of twenty-six other players for a round-robin tournament.
In the past, MLB has received a ton of flack from fans and media outlets for its inability to market its players. This tournament is an absolute step in the right direction for the league. With no live sports being played, the best us sports junkies have is video game simulations – and for baseball fans, that means MLB The Show.
The partnership between MLB and MLB The Show is giving fans the ability to experience baseball while also providing direct contact with players. Each MLB team has a representative in the tournament, and many of the names jump off the page.
Garret Looks To Repeat As Resident MLB The Show King
Joining Garrett and the gang is the Washington Nationals’ superstar Juan Soto. Three of the league’s top young infielders, Bo Bichette, Gavin Lux, and Fernando Tatis Jr., are also taking part. In addition to connecting with fans, each player will receive a $5,000 donation for a Boys & Girls Club affiliate located in their community. When over, the champion will net his affiliate an extra $25,000 donation as well!
Leading Off With A Bang
The games kicked off Friday, April 10. The first matchup featured a rematch of last month’s championship: Garrett vs. Snell. However, the star of the tournament’s first night was Texas Rangers’ slugger Joey Gallo, who went 4-0. Eduardo Rodriguez, of my Boston Red Sox, did not fare as well.
The early standings read as follows:
Joey Gallo (Texas Rangers): 4-0
Amir Garrett (Cincinnati Reds): 3-1
Blake Snell (Tampa Bay Rays): 2-2
Lance McCullers (Houston Astros): 2-2
Trevor May (Minnesota Twins): 1-3
Eduardo Rodriguez (Boston Red Sox): 0-4
Tournament Format and Live Coverage
The player will face each other one time, giving each team a total of 29 games. To great delight, those games are merely the regular season! There will be a playoff format at the end featuring the top eight teams. The first two rounds will be three-game sets, whereas the “World Series” will feature a be best-of-five setup.
Also, MLB and MLB The Show 20 will give viewers full media coverage. Fans will be able to catch game analysis, recaps, and interviews via MLB, MLB Network, and PlayStation social media accounts. Full coverage will be provided by Robert Flores of the MLB Network. Full streaming will be available on multiple platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.
The MLB The Show 20 Players League is a great relief for baseball fans. As far as professional sports go, we won’t have much for a while so this is a warm comfort. If you missed the first night’s action don’t worry about it. The league’s regular season is scheduled to end on April 28, so you’ll have plenty of chances to pop in and catch a few innings. Make sure you stay updated on social media to see when your team plays next!
