The delayed and shortened MLB season isn’t even a week old, but there have been three game cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic and now there are reports that league officials are holding an emergency meeting to discuss the pandemic’s effect on the season.
Update 7:02 p.m. EDT July 27: Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Marlins’ home games against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday and Tuesday were postponed after 11 Miami players tested positive for the coronavirus.
“The Miami Marlins will not play their two games in Miami tonight and tomorrow,” Manfred told Tom Verducci on MLB Network. “We’re doing some additional testing. If the testing results are acceptable, the Marlins will resume play in Baltimore on Wednesday against the Orioles.”
MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred announces the Miami Marlins will not play their two games in Miami against Baltimore tonight and tomorrow.
— Front Office Sports (@frntofficesport) July 27, 2020
The status of the two games in Baltimore will be decided following a series of testing, but remain possible if results are desirable. pic.twitter.com/pReUfPWota
Update 4:16 p.m. EDT July 27: The Miami Marlins’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed Monday after 13 Miami Marlins -- including 11 players -- tested positive for the coronavirus, the Miami Herald reported.
“The health of our players and staff has been and will continue to be our primary focus as we navigate through these uncharted waters,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in a statement Monday. “After a successful Spring 2.0, we have now experienced challenges once we went on the road and left Miami. Postponing (Monday’s) home opener was the correct decision to ensure we take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation. We have conducted another round of testing for our players and staff, and our team will all remain in Philadelphia pending the results of those tests, which we expect later today. We will provide additional information as soon as it becomes available.”
Under MLB guidelines, players will be isolated from the team until they test negative twice at least 24 hours apart, show no symptoms for 72 hours, and receive approval from team doctors, WPVI reported.
“The members of the Marlins’ traveling party are self-quarantining in place while awaiting the outcome of those results,” MLB said in a statement. “Major League Baseball has been coordinating with the Major League Baseball Players Association; the Marlins; the Orioles; the Marlins’ weekend opponent, the Phillies; and Club medical staffs, and will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”
Updating the Miami Marlins’ outbreak: The total number of infected players is 11 of the 33 who have been traveling with the team and two coaches, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2020
The Marlins-Orioles and Yankees-Phillies games tonight have been postponed. For now, the rest may be played.
Original report: The apparent discussions came after not only the Miami Marlins vs. Baltimore Orioles home opener scheduled for Monday was canceled, but also the game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Tonight’s Yankees-Phillies game is cancelled, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2020
BREAKING: the season is only 1 week old and the #MLB is to hold an emergency meeting today after 14 Miami Marlins have tested positive for #COVID19. https://t.co/T9mKtNIBCj
— David Storey (@davidstoreytv) July 27, 2020
The Marlins played the Phillies over the weekend in Philadelphia before more than a dozen players, coaches and staff in the Marlins’ organization tested positive for the coronavirus, CBS Sports reported.
The Yankees had been slated to travel to Philadelphia for Monday’s game and another game on Tuesday before flipping cities and returning to New York for another two games, KYW reported.
The Phillies staff that work in the visitors’ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park has to be quarantined because of the Marlins’ outbreak, according to KYW.
Sources: The Phillies are quarantining their entire visiting clubhouse staff after exposure to the Marlins this weekend. Some were tested yesterday and waiting for results. Yankees brought their own clubhouse staff to Philly last night.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 27, 2020
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