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Probability that we will see any trade before restarting MLB
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Earlier this month, CBS Sports reported that the Texas Rangers had become the first known major league team to bring workers back to the office, and they had done so despite growing cases of COVID-19. in Tarrant County. Not even two weeks have passed, however, CBS Sports can confirm a report by ESPN’s Jeff Passan that “various members” of the organization have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days, according to an internal announcement.
Since then, CBS Sports obtained and reviewed the internal memo issued to Rangers employees on June 11, days before the return mandate went into effect.
The memo, titled “Main Office Reopening Guidelines,” does not explicitly require employees to return to the office, but the section on remote work leaves little room for interpretation. “We are excited to invite everyone back to work,” the note reads. “Remote work can be offered, depending on the circumstances, to employees who have child care problems or who have a medical condition and need an accommodation.”
The memo then identifies an employee in the human resources department to contact for “approval of that request,” stating two things: 1) returning to the office is not a voluntary agreement; and 2) the team reserves the right to deny requests as it deems appropriate.
The memo corroborates the Rangers spokesman’s statement that employees have their temperatures checked before entering the building, and that they are mandated to wear a mask once they are inside.
The Rangers are located in Arlington, Texas, which is part of Tarrant County. According to government data, more than 3,300 infections have been reported since the Rangers reopened their offices. Tarrant County as a whole has set a new weekly record for infections for three consecutive weeks. Almost half of its 10,000 total cases have been recorded during that time.
According to Gov. Greg Abbott’s decree, the Rangers (and the Houston Astros) are believed to still be interested in having fans in the stands with a capacity of up to 50 percent. That would mean around 20,000 people for each team, according to official capacity figures.
