Report: MLB forms virtual ‘The Show’ league with one player from each team, 29-game schedule

Major League Baseball appears to be taking a page out of the NBA's book to give fans some live entertainment during this period without sports.

According to ESPN, the league, in conjunction with Sony Interactive Entertainment and the Players' Association, are starting a virtual league Friday in which one player from all 30 teams will compete in the baseball video game "MLB The Show" over a 29-game season.

Fans who want to will have to head to either their favorite team's or player's Twitch accounts, although some of the games could appear on television in the future, ESPN reported. Those Twitch streams will start at 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with MLB Network host Robert Flores facilitating the conversation between players and fans.

The regular season will feature games of either three or five innings, with the gaming difficulties all set to a modulated format (guess pitch, quick counts and balks turned off), per ESPN.

There's even a postseason (April 30) and World Series (May 2) on the schedule. Players will receive $5,000 each to donate to a local Boys and Girls Club in their team's community, and the winner of the tournament will earn an additional $25,000 donation.

The participating players, via ESPN, are:

Arizona Diamondbacks: Jon Duplantier
Atlanta Braves: Luke Jackson
Baltimore Orioles: Dwight Smith Jr.
Boston Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez
Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ
Chicago White Sox: Lucas Giolito
Cincinnati Reds: Amir Garrett
Cleveland Indians: Carlos Santana
Colorado Rockies: David Dahl
Detroit Tigers: Niko Goodrum
Houston Astros: Lance McCullers Jr.
Kansas City Royals: Brett Phillips
Los Angeles Angels: Ty Buttrey
Los Angeles Dodgers: Gavin Lux
Miami Marlins: Ryne Stanek
Milwaukee Brewers: Josh Hader
Minnesota Twins: Trevor May
New York Mets: Jeff McNeil
New York Yankees: Tommy Kahnle
Oakland Athletics: Jesus Luzardo
Philadelphia Phillies: Rhys Hoskins
Pittsburgh Pirates: Cole Tucker
San Diego Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr.
San Francisco Giants: Hunter Pence
Seattle Mariners: Carl Edwards Jr.
St. Louis Cardinals: Matt Carpenter
Tampa Bay Rays: Blake Snell
Texas Rangers: Joey Gallo
Toronto Blue Jays: Bo Bichette
Washington Nationals: Juan Soto

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