Major League Baseball returns to the Bay Area Monday, but will miss a crucial component: an audience.
Before the shortened MLB season officially begins later during the week, the Oakland A's will take on the San Francisco Giants Monday night and Tuesday in their final spring training games.
However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, there are new safety measures in place.
The most noticeable change at the game will be the absence of fans. Instead, they'll be replaced by cardboard cutouts with pictures of fans who purchased the seat and sent their photo.
A potion of the cutouts purchased in the foul ball zone along the first base side will benefit finding a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
For Giants' manager Gabe Kaplet, the biggest concern is his team's health and he's trying to take care of them during the pandemic.
"As a team, we've put a lot of emphasis on health and safety protocols and being diligent about wearing masks and washing hands," he said, "doing everything possible to stay healthy because we feel like that's the competitive advantage."
