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Angels will avoid crowds and bars, wear masks in public during season

Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / Getty

With COVID-19 numbers rising across baseball, the Los Angeles Angels are doing their part to try to flatten the curve.

Angels players agreed to not visit bars or restaurants during the shortened 2020 season, and they'll also do their best to avoid large gatherings, pitcher Andrew Heaney revealed Wednesday, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Heaney added that all Angels players will wear masks when they're not at home, in their car, or at the ballpark.

The Angels' home city of Anaheim is in Orange County, an area of California that's experiencing a rapid spike in COVID-19 cases. Orange County reported over 1,000 new cases on Tuesday and three deaths, bringing the county's total number of cases to 18,892, according to CBS Los Angeles.

The team has also been affected by the coronavirus. Pitcher Julio Teheran told ESPN on Wednesday that he's yet to arrive at camp after potentially being exposed, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. L.A. was also one of several teams that temporarily halted workouts this week because of delays in receiving test results.

Angels superstar Mike Trout has publicly voiced his concerns about playing through the pandemic and is one of several players around the sport who have worn a mask during the early stages of summer camp. Players aren't required to wear masks at the ballpark or during games, and it's unknown if any Angels will do so when the season starts.

For Heaney, adhering to these extra safety protocols is nothing more than "common sense" while attempting to play baseball in an uncertain time.

"It’s about a lot more than just your own personal health and safety," he said, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. "Just as important is your teammates, your staff, your teammates' family, the community."

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