MLB The Show Players League Takes the Field

With field play off the table for the foreseeable future, Major League Baseball is now stepping up to the plate with its own esports players league, announcing a partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Association and Sony Interactive Entertainment for the creation of the MLB The Show Players League. The organization will serve as the first-ever competitive MLB The Show league solely featuring Major League players in an online event to engage fans around the world and raise funds for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada.

The 30-player lineup includes 11 former All-Stars, five World Series Champions and eight players age 25 or younger. Each participant plays in a round-robin format (i.e., playing every team one time) throughout the month of April for a total of 29 regular season, three-inning games. Following this regular season, the top eight teams will advance to the Postseason, which will largely mirror the MLB Postseason format and culminate in a World Series.

The takes the mound today when Blake Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays play Amir Garrett and the Cincinnati Reds at 9p on Twitch.

“Boys & Girls Clubs of America is proud to partner with Major League Baseball, the Players and Sony on this great program. Their contributions will help support our efforts in communities around the country to provide critical meals, support for first responders’ children and virtual learning to kids, families and communities,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs have navigated times of tragedy and crisis to provide safe places for kids and teens. Today, amid the current crisis, we are committed more than ever to ensure Club staff, members, families, and communities have the resources and support they need.”

MLB Network host Robert Flores will provide commentary, recaps, analysis and conduct player interviews throughout the course of the season, including before, during and after games, via MLB, MLB Network and PlayStation’s social media platforms.

Here is the full lineup of players…