CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
While the status of the 2022 MLB season remains in limbo, the Cleveland Guardians are continuing their preparations for the upcoming campaign.
On Thursday, the team will begin the installation of the new script Guardians sign on the outfield scoreboard at Progressive Field. Weather permitting, the process of installing the sign is expected to last for six days with the final day of installation tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 16.
The new sign, which measures 81 feet wide and 28 feet high, is being installed by the Brilliant Electric Sign Company.
The installation of the new sign comes in anticipation of the franchise's first season under the Guardians nickname. Last year, the team announced that it would officially be dropping the name "Indians," which the franchise had used since 1915.
The start of the Guardians era in Cleveland, however, has been delayed by the ongoing lockout between Major League Baseball and its players. On MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the cancellation of two additional series of the 2022 schedule, delaying Opening Day until at least April 14 as a result of the ongoing negotiations between the two sides. In total, MLB has already canceled 184 games of its 2,430-game season, marking the league's first work stoppage since 1995.
The Guardians' original Opening Day had been slated for March 31, when Cleveland was scheduled to host the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field.