Teams announce ticket refund policies for games postponed by coronavirus

Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs, among others, were recently named as defendants in a lawsuit over ticket refunds for games postponed by the coronavirus (COVID-19). As a result, the league announced that it would let teams decide on an individual basis how to approach refunding fans for tickets.

Today, a handful of teams announced their ticket refund policies.

Boston Red Sox

Fans who purchased tickets directly from the Red Sox can receive a full refund, receive a credit to their account to be used for the 2020 and/or ’21 seasons, or exchange their tickets for a future game this season. Season ticket holders can do the same and will also receive a 10 percent bonus credit for impacted games.

Chicago Cubs

Fans who purchased tickets for games scheduled in March, April, and May can receive an account credit as well as a five percent bonus, or a full refund.

Chicago White Sox

Fans who purchased tickets for games between March 26 and May 31 will receive a credit for tickets, parking passes, and Huntington Bank Stadium Club passes as well as a five percent bonus credit. They may also elect to receive full refunds.

Cincinnati Reds

Fans can apply the value of games scheduled in March, April, and May towards 2021 tickets or get a refund. Season ticket holders who get a refund will also get a 10 percent bonus credit.

Cleveland Indians

Fans who purchased tickets for games scheduled in March and April can receive a “flexible bonus credit” towards 2020 and ’21 games which includes a 10 percent bonus credit. Season ticket holders can use their credit towards 2021 packages which will contain “additional exclusive renewal incentives.” Fans can also request a full refund.

Houston Astros

Fans who purchased tickets scheduled between the start of the season and May 31 can receive a full refund or receive account credit. Fans with full season ticket packages can choose to have the credit applied to 2021 ticket packages. Those that do will get a price lock based on 2020 prices.

Minnesota Twins

Fans who purchased single-game tickets will automatically get a full credit on their account to be used towards 2020 regular season games. They can also get a full refund.

Oakland Athletics

Fans who purchased tickets for games in March, April, and May can get a full refund or account credit to be used in 2021. Those that get an account credit instead of a refund will get a five percent discount towards 2021 games.

Philadelphia Phillies

Fans who bought tickets for games scheduled in April and May can receive a credit to their account to be used for future games in 2020 and ’21, or they can get a full refund.

San Francisco Giants

Fans who bought single-game tickets can get a full refund or an account credit for 2021 tickets at “exclusive preferred pricing levels.” Fans who bought season tickets as well as suite, group, and premium tickets can also opt for an account credit and receive a five percent bonus credit.

. . .

We should be seeing more teams announcing their policies soon. There seems to be a theme with the additional credit, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see more teams adopt that show of good will towards their fans who opt not to receive a refund. Some teams are including May games as part of those eligible for refunds. Others, like the Indians, aren’t.

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PITTSBURGH – Andrew McCutchen’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning lifted Pittsburgh to a 5-4 victory over Oakland on Monday night, extending the Pirates’ win streak to six games and sending the Athletics to their record-tying 15th consecutive road loss.

The 15 straight defeats away from home matches the Athletics’ record since they moved from Kansas City in 1968. Oakland set that mark in 1986.

The major league-worst Athletics (12-50) have lost five games in a row overall. They are on pace to finish the season exactly 100 games under .500 at 31-131.

“It’s tough,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight’s game, we didn’t play well enough to win the game. I don’t want to say we gave the game away but there were a lot of instances where we had a chance to capitalize on opportunities and didn’t do it.”

McCutchen also singled and drew three walks to go with two RBIs. The 2013 NL MVP now has 1,998 career hits.

With the score tied at 4, Ji Hwan Bae led off the decisive eighth inning with a single off Sam Moll (0-3) and advanced to third on Austin Hedges’ one-out single. McCutchen’s sac fly plated Bae.

“I was just trying to get the job done. I understand the situation there,” McCutchen said. “We just need to get the run. I was trying to bear down against a hard thrower and trying to get that run in as much as I can, and I was able to do it and have a good at-bat.”

Angel Perdomo (1-0) retired both hitters he faced. and Colin Holdeman pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first career save. It was an eventful inning for Holderman as the first three batters reached base, but he struck out Carlos Perez with runners on the corners to end it.

“I began my career as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues but ever since I was switched to relief, this has been the goal, to get a save in the big leagues,” Holderman said.

Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo gave up three runs and four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Oakland left-hander JP Sears did not allow a hit until Mark Mathias’ leadoff single in the fifth but was unable to make it through the inning. Sears was charged with one run in 4 2/3 innings while allowing two hits, walking five and striking out six.

Sears has not allowed more than two runs in five consecutive starts. His nine no-decisions are the most in the major leagues.

Ryan Noda and Brent Rooker had two hits each for the Athletics.

The Athletics tied the score at 4-4 in the eighth inning on pinch-hitter Aledmys Diaz’s run-scoring double. Oakland left the bases loaded, though, when Nick Allen hit an inning-ending flyout.

Consecutive bases-loaded walks keyed a three-run sixth inning that put the Pirates 4-3. McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds each worked bases on balls off Shintaro Fujinami to tie the score at 3-all and pinch-hitter Jack Suwinski followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Athletics opened the scoring in the first inning when rookie Esteury Ruiz reached on catcher’s interference, stole his MLB-leading 30th base of the season and scored on Noda’s single. Seth Brown doubled in a run in the third and came home on Perez’s sacrifice fly to push Oakland’s lead to 3-0.

Connor Joe hit an RBI double for the Pirates in the fifth.

The Pirates drew 10 walks, their most in a game in nearly two years.

“We had a bunch of opportunities that we didn’t capitalize (on), but the thing I think I was most proud of is we got down and we didn’t rush to get back,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “We were still patient.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Kirby Snead (strained shoulder) is expected to pitch in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, which will be his first game action since spring training. … RHP Freddy Tarnok (strained shoulder) will throw a bullpen on Tuesday.

TOP PICK PROMOTED

Pirates catching prospect Henry Davis was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona. In 41 games at Double-A this season, the 23-year-old hit .284 with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases.

“He was performing offensively at a level where we felt like he was more than ready to meet the challenges,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “He improved as an offensive player even since spring training, focusing on the things we were challenging him on. Defensively, he’s made strides too.”

Davis was the first overall selection in the 2021 amateur draft from the University of Louisville.

UP NEXT

Athletics RHP James Kaprielian (0-6, 8.12 ERA) will make his first start in June after taking the loss in all four starts in May and face RHP Mitch Keller (7-1, 3.25). Keller has eight or more strikeouts in seven consecutive starts, the longest streak by a Pirates pitcher in the modern era (since 1901).