DUNEDIN, FLA.—Major League Baseball suspended spring training and delayed the start of the regular season by at least two weeks on Thursday, becoming the latest major sports league to grind to a halt amidst the spread of the coronavirus.

The World Baseball Classic qualifiers, which were set to begin Friday in Tuscon, Ariz., are also postponed.

The league announced the decision to stop play for the foreseeable future following a call between commissioner Robert Manfred and the league’s 30 owners, as well as consultation with the Major League Baseball’s Player Association.

The league made its decision in the interests of the “safety and well-being of our players, clubs and our millions of loyal fans.”

“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our players, employees and fans,” MLB said in a release. “MLB will continue to undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts. We send our best wishes to all individuals and communities that have been impacted by coronavirus.”

Spring training games were cancelled as of 4 p.m. ET Thursday. The Blue Jays played split squad games against Canada’s junior national team and the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the day.

MLB was one of the last leagues in North America to announce a stoppage in play because of coronavirus, but the possible implications of the outbreak was nonetheless the talk of Jays camp on Thursday morning.

Minor league baseball is also suspending league play; they were scheduled to begin in early April.

Jays centre fielder Randal Grichuk admitted he was worried Opening Day would be postponed.

“Oh, 100 per cent,” Grichuk said hours before news of the spring suspension and regular-season delay broke. “Honestly, I’m expecting it to, with all the stuff that’s going on.”

The Blue Jays released a statement Wednesday recommending that Jays personnel and its fans avoid high-fives, handshakes and exchange items hand-to-hand for autographs. The club planned to provide pre-signed player autograph cards to fans in their place. Toronto also encouraged fans visiting the ballpark to wash their hands with soap and water, avoid touching their faces and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Thursday everybody in the Jays clubhouse was made aware of the suggested protocols but ultimately it was up to the players whether they wanted to sign the cards provided by the club or exchange items hand-to-hand for autographs. Montoyo said he would be using the cards, but left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu went the traditional way with a small crowd fans after warm-ups.

“Yeah, some of the guys are talking just like we all are, like as sports fans, so hoping it doesn’t get any worse, but again, we’re going to follow whatever MLB tells us to do,” Montoyo said.

The Jays released a statement following MLB’s announcement, saying the club is in “full support” of the league’s decision.

“The Blue Jays are working in real-time co-ordination with Major League Baseball, Toronto Public Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, with the safety of our fans, staff and players at the forefront of our planning,” it read. “We thank you for your patience and support. To all our fans, we encourage you to exercise preventative measures recommended by health officials.”

Toronto will share additional information, including its ticket policy for impacted games, as details become available. A pair of exhibition games against the New York Yankees at Olympic Stadium in Montreal on March 23 and 24 are likely in jeopardy. The Jays were scheduled to open their schedule with a four-game home series against the Boston Red Sox on March 26; their first road series, at the Yankees, is scheduled for April 2 in New York.

It was not immediately clear what suspending spring training and delaying the regular season will mean for players in terms of where they will live and train, particularly those who do not call Florida home.

“Guidance related to daily operations and workouts will be relayed to clubs in the coming days,” MLB’s release read.

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The league is currently preparing a variety of contingency plans regarding the 2020 season schedule and said it will announce the effects on the schedule at an “appropriate time” with “the hope of resuming normal operations as soon as possible.”

Grichuk hopes that happens sooner rather than later, but many questions remained in the immediate aftermath of the league’s decision.

“No one wants to do their whole off-season program and spring training and then wait months,” Grichuk said. “What does that look like? Are we going to Toronto? Are we staying here? Are we playing games? Are we going to practice? Are we not practicing because of it? I don’t know.”