Two Cy Young Award winners decide to sit out 2020 due to coronavirus concerns

David Price (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

There are four more players who have reportedly decided to sit out of the 2020 Major League Baseball season because of concerns related to coronavirus. On the list are two American League Cy Young Award winners–Felix Hernandez of the Atlanta Braves and David Price of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Hernandez won the Cy Young Award with the Seattle Mariners in 2010, and Price won the Cy Young Award with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012. Both Hernandez and Price were joining their new teams for the first time this season. Price was traded from the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster deal on February 10, while Hernandez signed a one year deal worth $1 million with the Braves on January 20.

Last season, Price had a record of seven wins, five losses, an earned run average of 4.28 in 22 starts with the Red Sox. Meanwhile, it was a struggle for Hernandez, as he had a record of one win, eight losses, and an earned run average of 6.40.

It will now be interesting to see if Price will continue to donate $1000 to every Dodgers player not on their 40-man roster. Price announced he would do the honourable deed in May, but now that he has decided not to play this season, it will be interesting to see how much of his contract he has to give back. Price signed a seven-year deal worth $217 on December 4, 2015. Even though Price is not with the Red Sox anymore, Boston was still having to pay part of his contract and by Price not playing in 2020, it will save Boston $6 million according to Chris Cotillo of masslive.com. 

The two other players who have decided not to play in 2020, are Hernandez’s Braves’ teammate, Nick Markakis, and Washington Nationals catcher Welington Castillo. Markakis batted .285 with nine home runs and 62 runs batted in during 2019. Castillo batted .209 with 12 home runs and 41 runs batted in last season with the Chicago White Sox.