Four more Marlins players test positive for COVID-19
- by Grant Boone
- in Sports
- — Jul 31, 2020
It's been nice to have Major League Baseball back over the last few days, but the season could already be in jeopardy following the Miami Marlins' recent COVID-19 outbreak. Individual teams are given the leeway to postpone or cancel games as the Marlins and Phillies did on Monday. "The fact that we haven't had anyone test positive yet is great, but there's too much at stake when you talk about players, and their health and their family's health".
The postponements were announced Tuesday among a series of scheduling changes involving four other teams.
MLB's health and safety protocols do not establish a threshold for how many positive tests would cause a team, or the season, to shut down.
The Marlins are scheduled to play Philadelphia at Marlins Park on Tuesday through Thursday, and Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Marlins will be permitted to play at home next week. The team flew into Atlanta the day of the first exhibition game and flew straight to Philadelphia after their second game ended. Girardi believes that the most important thing right now is the safety of everyone involved, even if it ultimately means that the Phillies and Marlins, among others, don't play the full 60-game slate in 2020. A five-day imposed pause on the Phillies' season is now at least eight days, and there are real doubts about how the team can even resume play - from both a virus and physical standpoint.
Thursday's positive test brings that total to 17 players and two coaches. "We built the protocols to allow us to continue to play". But that won't be happening because Major League Baseball made a decision to postpone the Marlins' games through Monday. The Marlins are also reportedly signing catcher Wilkin Castillo, who was part of their Triple A team most of previous year, and relief pitcher Pat Venditte, who was with the team in spring training. Seven more positive tests were reported Monday following the game.
Rosenthal said the team anticipated this player would test positive based on contact tracing. "We think we can keep people safe and continue to play". "I've heard a dozen of them have gotten infected".
Manfred said on Monday that he wouldn't put this outbreak in the "nightmare category".
"I don't think so", Girardi said when asked if the Phillies would feel comfortable playing if a scenario like last Sunday presented itself in the future.
A general view of the field during a game between the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday in Philadelphia.
