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MLB, A's discussing alternatives for games impacted by coronavirus

MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images / MediaNews Group / Getty

The Oakland Athletics are working with Major League Baseball to find alternative plans for home games after the city of Oakland and Alameda County banned public gatherings of more than 1,000 people until the end of March due to the coronavirus threat, the club announced Wednesday.

"We will provide more information about our plans for the games, including our ticket policy for impacted games, as soon as possible," the A's said in a statement.

The team's home ballpark, Oakland Coliseum, is partially owned by the city.

"This action is a prudent, precautionary step that will position the city to respond to the emerging challenges posed by the potential spread of COVID-19 in our community," Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a release.

The Athletics are scheduled to open their season with a seven-game homestand against the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros beginning March 26.

Washington state has also banned mass gatherings, forcing the Seattle Mariners to work toward relocating two series.

MLB has scheduled a league-wide conference call for Friday to determine how to proceed with the developing situation, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The league has already banned reporters from locker rooms, but there is no plan currently in place to play games without fans during spring training or the regular season.

If the virus forces ballpark closures, the league's preference is reportedly to flip host teams.

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