ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Big league managers say Major League Baseball instructed them to prepare for spring training to start on time in mid-February despite uncertainty around the coronavirus.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday that officials from the commissioner’s office had a meeting with managers Tuesday and expressed optimism about opening spring camps as scheduled.

“That message has been fairly consistent,” Cash said. “We’ll continue to plan and prepare until we are told otherwise.”