Opening Day 2021: MLB gets ready to play ball; Mets-Nationals canceled due to COVID-19

After more than a year of not playing in front of fans, many MLB teams will be opening the gates to spectators for Opening Day 2021.

>> Read more trending news

But there will be changes this season as the country still deals with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Update 4:08 p.m. EDT April 1: One game has already been canceled because of COVID-19. MLB announced that the Washington Nationals’ home opener against the New York Mets on Thursday night was postponed due to coronavirus issues.

MLB said that “out of abundance of caution” the game will also not be played on Friday, which was the buffer day built into the schedule for Opening Day postponements.

The next game scheduled between the two teams is Saturday at 4:05 p.m. EDT, ESPN reported.

Original report: Teams will also not all have the same restrictions as stadium capacity is set by state and local governments.

Teams like the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates will have attendance limits ranging from 12% to 33%.

Cities like Houston will allow 50% of stands filled, or about 20,500 fans will be able to watch first pitch of the Astros season, ESPN reported.

The Texas Rangers will allow all seats to be filled, with no capacity limit set for its April 5 home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, according to ESPN. Globe Life Field will be limited after the team’s first home game to allow socially distanced seats. Masks will be required at the stadium despite the governor’s lifting of the state’s previous mandatory mask policy.

Not all agree it is the best move to allow 100% capacity at the Rangers’ first game.

President Joe Biden weighed in telling ESPN, “Well, that’s a decision they made. I think it’s a mistake. They should listen to Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, the scientists and the experts. But I think it’s not responsible.”

To see what each MLB team is doing to curb the spread of COVID-19, CBS Sports compiled all of the regulations here.

This year marks the first time since 1968 that every MLB team was scheduled to have a game on the same Opening Day if there were no postponements, USA Today reported.

Thursday morning, the Red Sox announced the game against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed to Friday due to weather.

To see the opening day schedule of games, click here.

MLB has sent a memo urging people associated with the game to get vaccinated against COVID-19, telling teams that when 85% of players and primary field staff are vaccinated, then some restrictions will be eliminated, Sports Illustrated reported. But the league is not making the vaccine a requirement.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 16

2021 Opening Day Wrigley Field employees work inside of the stadium on the opening day baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, April 1, 2021 at Chicago. Fans are back at the ballpark after they were shut out during the regular season last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar) (Shafkat Anowar/AP)

Cox Media Group