Phillies' Joe Girardi 'heard some chatter' about July 1 start date

While it’s unclear how Plouffe came upon this information, not to mention whether it came from a reputable sources, is obviously unknown. That being said, Girardi indicated during an interview Tuesday with Angelo Cataldi on Philly sports talk 94WIP’s morning show that he’s “heard some chatter about that as well.”

Girardi, however, pointed out that a lot things would have to fall into place for such an eventuality to occur.

“I still think it really comes down to, Angelo, we’re at the mercy of our federal and state government. I mean that’s what we’re at the mercy of,” Girardi noted. “We have to make sure states are open and we have to make sure that there are plenty of tests and we’re not endangering anyone, and once we figure those things out I think we’ll be back. But, God, that would be great if we could be back by then, wouldn’t it?”

As things stand, top MLB executives are believed to be “increasingly confident” that baseball will resume at some point this year. Still, there are myriad logistical loopholes and considerations MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and the league would have to resolve for the rumored plan to come to fruition.

Still, even the chance, however slim, that Major League Baseball could return in less than two months certainly gives baseball fans some glimmer of hope in this live sports-starved climate.