ST PAUL, Minn. — The St. Paul Saints announced Friday that their pandemic-delayed 2020 season will begin July 3. However, the team won't be playing in their home ballpark, at least for now.
The American Association announced its season will run for 60 games from July 3 to September 10. Six teams will be based in three hubs, with the Saints paired with the Sioux Falls Canaries at their home stadium in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The hub system will continue "until capacity restrictions for outdoor events have relaxed, allowing the Saints to return to CHS Field," according to a statement posted on the Saints website.
A limited number of fans will be allowed to attend games at the hub stadiums, with COVID readiness plans approved by local health departments and government agencies.
"With players around the country unsure of whether they would have a chance to play the National Pastime this summer, the American Association was determined to find a way to play," the Saints said in a statement. "As players found creative ways to work out on their own, the league owners realized they could make it happen. A rallying cry emerged: For Love of the Game."
The full 2020 schedule will be released June 15. According to the Saints, "each team will play 42 of their 60 games in their hub to limit travel, with 30 of those 42 being home games while the remaining 12 as the road team against the other team in their hub."
The top two teams from the regular season will meet in a best-of-five Championship Series.
Other teams participating in the modified season will be the Winnipeg Goldeyes and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks based at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, and the Chicago Dogs paired with the Milwaukee Milkmen at Ballpark Commons in Milwaukee.
The schedule will allow clubs to return home if local governmental restrictions change to allow games with fans in attendance.
“Our sincere hope, and frankly, our plan is to play baseball in St. Paul sooner rather than later,” said Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Derek Sharrer in a statement. “There were several contingencies discussed, but we realized moving forward with this system was both best for the league and for our ability to accomplish our primary goal of entertaining fans at CHS Field this summer. We appreciate Sioux Falls, Fargo, and Milwaukee opening their ballparks for us, Winnipeg and Chicago.”
Six other teams in the American Association will not play in 2020, including the Cleburne Railroaders, Gary SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones, Lincoln Saltdogs, Sioux City Explorers, and Texas AirHogs.
Spring training for the six participating teams will begin June 25.
The Saints said fans who purchased tickets at CHS Field for the 2020 season will be able to exchange their tickets for other games later this season, if the team is able return to St. Paul, or in the 2021 season.
The team said it has a COVID readiness plan in place for CHS Field should games be played in St. Paul, including cashless payments and socially distanced seating arrangements that would leave several rows and seats empty at the ballpark.
