On Wednesday, Major League Baseball took a potential step toward beginning their 2020 season when it was reported that 27 teams are participating in a coronavirus (COVID-19) antibody study.
The Cleveland Indians have confirmed to 3News that they are one of the teams participating.
Conducted by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) in association with Stanford University and the University of Southern California, the study will use pinprick blood tests to detect IgM and IgG antibodies. The IgM antibody is known to produce relatively early for people who contract the coronavirus, while the IgG is known to linger in the body long after the infection happens. A positive IgG test would indicate a person previously had contracted the coronavirus, even if they were asymptomatic.
The study is expected to consist of 10,000 people, including MLB players and team employees. The geographically diverse nature of the 27 teams who chose to participate in the study should help provide a quick turnaround.
“We are proud to support important scientific research to expand the understanding of the virus.” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told USA Today.
While it remains to be seen how effective the study will prove, the availability of rapid testing has long thought to be one of the most important components of sports returning to play. Additionally, the study should provide researchers with information on how widespread the disease is in major metropolitan areas across the United States, which could help provide more accurate estimations on when a potential return to action could be feasible.
Last month, MLB indefinitely delayed the start of its 2020 season due to concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic. In the time since, the league has floated the idea of potentially playing its season with all 30 teams in the Arizona area, with players sequestered to hotel rooms and tested on a frequent basis.