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Monday, January 5, 2026

New Bubble?

Athletics hit
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball has struggled with COVID-19 outbreaks among its teams, with 29 games postponed thus far. Watching the success of bubbles across sports, including those in the NHL and NBA, has led to ESPN sources suggesting an MLB playoff bubble could be in the works.

Reports suggest the league’s new 16-team postseason format would make the most sense in a hub city setting similar to the NHL’s. There’s more than $1 billion in broadcast revenue at stake for the playoffs.

“If we want to make sure we get through October, we really need to get this right,” a source told ESPN.

Bubble Updates

NWSL, MLS, PLL: No cases once the competition started and finished.

NBA: No positives within the Orlando bubble since July 13.

NHL: No positives since arriving in Toronto and Edmonton on July 26.

WNBA: No positives since arriving at the IMG Academy July 6.

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