As far as Major League Baseball is concerned, the show must go on.
If the coronavirus outbreak forces MLB to change its 2020 schedule, their first preference is to relocate games rather than cancel them. The plan would entail teams switching an early home series with a road series later in the season.
The AP report added no official decision has been made, only that MLB anticipates local governments deciding whether it’s safe to play in front of fans. The league prefers not to play in empty stadiums, and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo shares the same sentiment.
Switching host sites won't work if both teams' cities recommend a fan ban at sporting events. No professional sporting events have been cancelled in Illinois, to date, for what it's worth.
The Cubs open the 2020 season in Milwaukee on March 26, while the White Sox host the Royals.
There are 19 confirmed cases of the virus in Illinois, including eight in Cook County.