Major League Baseball remains on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the earliest start date for the regular season May 10.
On Friday, MLB and the MLBPA signed off on a deal regarding how things will shake out if there is a shortened or canceled season.
MLBPA chief Tony Clark said shortly after the deal was struck that while players prefer to play in front of fans and not empty ballparks, they are open to doing whatever gets them back playing as soon as possible.
With the above at the top of mind, ESPN's Marly Rivera recently spoke with Mets manager Luis Rojas (and many other current managers) about how they're communicating with players during the hiatus, whether they expect the season to happen, and more.
"We use an application that all large organizations are using, called Teamworks," Rojas said about how he's remaining in contact with his players, who are in Florida and elsewhere. "There we send group messages and information to the entire groups, communicate in general terms, with the whole group. We are also constantly making calls and sending personal texts to keep in touch. Lately we have been using Zoom video calls."
Among the top concern for players at the moment, per Rojas, is that many are "experiencing problems with the facilities where they train, which are no longer open" due to the pandemic.
Video: The Cookie Club with J.D. and Dom: The Mets check in!
However, Rojas added that plans laid out by GM Brodie Van Wagenen and the team's performance group have helped each player have a specific workout plan.
"If they have weights available, they have a workout plan with weights, or there's a workout plan if they have no weights, for any situation they find themselves in," Rojas explained.
Rojas, who noted that he speaks with Van Wagenen and/or other members of the front office every day, said he has "no anxiety" about the current situation.
Saying that he believes the "passion for the game is going to be higher than ever" when baseball returns because fans and players miss it so much, Rojas was optimistic that the 2020 season would be salvaged.
"I do believe we are going to have a season this year," Rojas said. "I hope we will. But knowing the timeline right now is very difficult. We certainly know that what is happening right now is much bigger than the game. Now we are following protocols, following everything to the letter to overcome this. But our mentality is that we will play baseball this year, at some point.."