#Mets and Yankees to hold spring training in NYC, Gov. Cuomo says

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Mets players train in Port St. Lucie in February.
Anthony J. Causi

Spring training baseball camps for both the Yankees and Mets will move from Florida to the Big Apple, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.

The teams will now hold the annual sports rite at their home stadiums, in Queens and the Bronx, respectively, the governor said.

“I can’t wait to see spring training in New York. Great news,” Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters shortly after noon.

Major League Baseball Friday shut down spring training camps in Florida and Arizona after coronavirus cases spiked in those states. Traditionally, the spring rite is held in Port St. Lucie for the Mets and Tampa for the Bombers.

Cuomo said the teams had come up with their own safeguards against the deadly virus.

“The Mets and the Yankees have come up with a protocol,” Cuomo said. “They’re putting that in place now. The state and the Department of Health will work with them.

Cuomo’s announcement came one day after the governor said he was going to end the daily press briefings he started at the onset of the coronavirus crisis.

“I would have you guys go cold turkey, but this announcement about the new spring training camp is so exciting, I wanted to do it myself,” he said.