Baseball Is Back, and This Is What It Looks Like Now

To his credit, Dr. Anthony Fauci can do many great things, like giving a reassuring speech about a very scary thing on national television, or offering some medical advice from the White House that doesn’t involve drinking bleach. But good lord, throwing a baseball is not one of them. On July 23, Dr. Fauci threw the first pitch in the MLB’s return to play since its season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Throwing before a game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees, Dr. Fauci’s pitch sailed… wide left.

Still, there might not have been a better person to lead us into this brave new world of sports than the man who has been guiding us through the coronavirus pandemic all along. Across the country, the league’s other teams returned to play, losing home run balls in seas of empty bleachers, coaches talking shop under the cover of face masks. Here’s what the scene looked like from the MLB’s first night back in action.

Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

The Red Sox play an exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays with no fans in Boston, Massachusetts.

An overview of the field and stadium during the exhibition MLB baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

Starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks #28 of the Chicago Cubs delivers the ball against the Chicago White Sox during an exhibition game at Wrigley Field on July 19, 2020 in Chicago.

A general view of Orioles Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD as the Washington Nationals take on the Baltimore Orioles in a Summer Camp game on July 20.

Cardboard fans seem enthralled with a close up view of Dodgers hitter Gabin Lux as he waits to bat against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

A general view of the field before the exhibition game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians at PNC Park on July 22 in Pittsburgh.

A general view of Guaranteed Rate Stadium is seen with empty fan seats and fan cutouts during an exhibition game between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 22, 2020 in Chicago, IL.

A general view of the auxiliary extended dugout tents during an exhibition game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays before the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season on July 21, 2020 at Fenway Park.

Boston Red Sox Mitch Moreland, left, is greeted by teammate Alex Verdugo after he hit a first inning three-run home run. The Boston Red Sox host The Toronto Blue Jays in an exhibition baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston on July 21.

Manager Dave Martinez #4 and bench coach Tim Bogar #24 of the Washington Nationals look on from the dugout during the second inning of the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on July 21 in Washington, DC.

A general view of the stadium during the sixth inning of the game between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on July 21.

A general view of Truist Park during an exhibition game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins on July 21 in Atlanta.

A general view of the stadium during the sixth inning of the game between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on July 21.

Raisel Iglesias #26 and Pedro Strop #46 of the Cincinnati Reds talk among a gathering of pitchers in the stands in the second inning of an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park on July 22 in Cincinnati.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Alex Cobb (17) pitches Washington Nationals catcher Yan Gomes (10) during the Summer Camp game on July 20 at Orioles Park at Camden Yard in Baltimore.

First base coach Alyssa Nakken elbow bumps Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Francisco Giants after he walked in the third against the Oakland Athletics during their exhibition game at Oracle Park on July 21 in San Francisco.

The scoreboard operator watches from an opening before the exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 22 in Boston.

Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals is hit by a pitch against the Kansas City Royals third inning at Busch Stadium on July 22 in St Louis.

Eloy Jimenez #74 (L) and Luis Robert #88 of the Chicago White Sox celebrate an inning-ending catch in front of "cut-out" fans during an exhibition game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 22 in Chicago.

An exhibition game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium on July 22 in St Louis.

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (10) warms up with the cutout of fans behind him during a MLB exhibition game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 20 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks out of the dugout during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Angels amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic at Dodger Stadium on July 21 in Los Angeles.

Mitch Moreland #18 of the Boston Red Sox leaps to catch a ball before an exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays before the start of the 2020 MLB season on July 22 at Fenway Park.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert makes a catch in action during an exhibition game between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 22 in Chicago.

The New York Mets have cardboard cutouts of fans in the seats while playing the New York Yankees in a pre-season exhibition game at Citi Field in New York on July 18.

Jordan Montgomery #47 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch to Jeff McNeil #6 of the New York Mets in the first inning during Summer Camp play at Yankee Stadium on July 19 in the Bronx.

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during a Summer Camp game at Yankee Stadium on July 20.

Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets stands in the on deck circle in front of cardboard fans during their Pre Season game at Citi Field on July 18.

A sign saying "Public Not Allowed" is seen before Oakland Athletics Bay Bridge Series game against the San Francisco Giants at the Coliseum in Oakland on Monday July 20.

Cesar Hernandez #7 of the Cleveland Indians and first baseman Josh Bell #55 of the Pittsburgh Pirates both stand on first during the first inning at Progressive Field on July 20 in Cleveland.

Josh Bell #55 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with Colin Moran #19 after hitting a homer during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 20, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio.

A general view of the auxiliary extended dugout tents during an exhibition game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays before the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season on July 21 at Fenway Park.

Dominic Smith #2 of the New York Mets is unable to stop a two run home run by Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees in the sixth inning during Summer Camp play at Yankee Stadium on July 19.

A general view of the exhibition game between the Chicago Cubs and the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field on July 22, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois.

Bob Geren #8, Manager Dave Roberts #30, Mark Prior #23 and Danny Lehmann watch the final out of the game in front of cutout fan faces, in 12-2 preseason win over the Arizona Diamondbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic at Dodger Stadium on July 20.

Jake Cave #60 of the Minnesota Twins throws during an intrasquad game on July 20 at Target Field in Minneapolis.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly and Braves Manager Brian Snitker (r) meet with the officiating crew bedore the exhibition MLB baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins on July 21 at Truist Park in Atlanta.

A general view in the fourth inning of an exhibition game between the Detroit Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 21 in Cincinnati.

Miguel Rojas #19 of the Miami Marlins reacts with manager Don Mattingly #8 after hitting a solo homer in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves during an exhibition game at Truist Park on July 21 in Atlanta.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden is seen in the stands near cutouts of fans as he prepares to do play-by-play during their Bay Bridge Series game against the San Francisco Giants at the Coliseum in Oakland on Monday July 20.

Cutouts representing fans are seen during the first inning of the Oakland Athletics versus San Francisco Giants exhibition Bay Bridge game against at the Coliseum in Oakland on Monday July 20.

Umpires Carlos Torres #37 and Marvin Hudson #51 converse during an exhibition game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on July 21.

A lone fan sits in the stands during the Summer Camp game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies on July 19 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Rob Brantly #76 elbow bumps Sam Wolff #83 of the San Francisco Giants after they beat the Oakland Athletics in their exhibition game at Oracle Park on July 21 in San Francisco.

An empty Green Monster during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 21.

Blooper, mascot of the Atlanta Braves, sits in the empty stands to watch the exhibition game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on July 22 in Atlanta.

Blooper, mascot of the Atlanta Braves, watches a television cameraman during the exhibition game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Truist Park.

Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates after his solo home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins during an exhibition game at Wrigley Field.

Pictures of fans sit on top of the Green Monster before the exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 22 in Boston.

The press box during a Boston Red Sox intrasquad game during a summer camp workout before the start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season on July 20 at Fenway Park.