Cardinals-White Sox game at Field of Dreams is canceled

“If you build it, he will come,” doesn’t apply during a COVID-19 shortened season

Amid the MLB’s COVID-19 crisis, they will not be playing their scheduled game between the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals at the original Field of Dreams site in Dyersville, Iowa, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The game was already farfetched, and more a childhood dream (no pun intended), once the country succumbed to a pandemic. Sure, it could have been played without fans, but such an event would lose much of its luster, similar to MLB’s Little League Classic, which was cancelled on April 30, rather than postponed to a later point in the season.

The Cardinals and Marlins outbreaks haven’t helped the situation

Rosenthal claims that the cancellation is not tied to the recent outbreak in the Cardinals clubhouse. While it may not directly related, it surely played a role in establishing the severity of MLB’s recent issues containing COVID-19 within its ranks. As many as 13 Cardinals have now tested positive for the virus, which was aided by the fact that at least one player went to a casino rather than following MLB protocol and limiting exposure to outside sources.

The Cardinals four-game series against the Detroit Tigers, scheduled to begin this week, has been postponed. The Field of Dreams game was scheduled to take place on August 13, which is less than two weeks away. How, exactly, could MLB ensure they’d be able to keep players safe in transport to Iowa? And will the Cardinals be capable of fielding a team by then?

While we hope the answer to both of those questions is yes, there are no guarantees in this world. No precedent has been set.

Recreating one of the most iconic sports movie sites is an intriguing idea, but to do so during such uncertain times is essentially impossible. Good on MLB for figuring that out before it’s too late.