Arizona Diamondbacks will not play this season. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Diamondbacks' Mike Leake becomes first MLB player to opt out of 2020 season

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 6/29/20

On Monday, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Mike Leake announced through his agent that he is opting out of playing this year amid the coronavirus pandemic:

A statement from Mike Leake's agent, Danny Horwits of Beverly Hills Sports Council: pic.twitter.com/bQctIlUTml
— Zach Buchanan (@ZHBuchanan) June 29, 2020

"During this global pandemic, Mike and his family had many discussions about playing this season," Danny Horwits, Leake's agent, wrote. "They took countless factors into consideration, many of which are personal to his family."

As ESPN's Jeff Passan noted, Leake is the first known player to officially elect to not play this summer:

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Mike Leake is the first known major league player to opt out of the 2020 season, sources tell ESPN.

Leake was positioned to be fighting for a spot at the back end of the Diamondbacks' rotation. @SteveGilbertMLB first said Leake was opting out.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 29, 2020

Passan added that Leake can become a free agent after the upcoming season.

The 32-year-old who was traded to Arizona by the Seattle Mariners last July made 10 appearances with the Diamondbacks during the second half of the season. He tallied a 3-3 record with the National League outfit.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich previously reported that individual teams may decide whether or not to pay players not deemed "high risk" who opt out of the campaign. Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago tweeted Leake is not high risk.

The season is scheduled to start on July 23 or July 24.

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