On Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Cleveland Indians officials have told their players to prepare for a July 1 start date to the 2020 season, which would be preceded by a three-week Spring Training 2.0.
But while those plans have yet to be confirmed, it didn't take long for social media to react with a renewed sense of optimism regarding the 2020 campaign.
While the dates mentioned by the Indians, per Rosenthal, were moving targets and largely expected to change, it's worth noting that they coincide with a tweet posted by former Major League pitcher Trevor Plouffe earlier this week.
As for what baseball will look like when -- or if -- it returns, that remains unclear. Last week, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the league was considering splitting into three geographic-based divisions, eliminating the traditional American League and National League format.
While those games would be played at MLB ballparks, the possibility exists teams would need to begin their seasons in hubs, including Arizona, Texas and Florida. According to Rosenthal, league officials are currently concerned about the possibility of a surge in coronavirus cases in states that are reopening their economies, which could further delay baseball's return.