Positive COVID-19 tests among multiple players and coaches at the Miami Marlins have thrown immediate doubt over whether Major League Baseball’s plans to continue a shortened season are possible.
Miami defeated the Phillies in Philadelphia on Sunday despite four players reportedly testing positive for the disease that has sparked a global pandemic, and after the game eight more players and two coaches tested positive, according to ESPN.
Miami’s scheduled home opener against the Baltimore Orioles for Monday night has been postponed, as the team remains in Philadelphia after its flight back to Florida was canceled Sunday night.
Team members who tested positive are now quarantined in Philadelphia, according to Yahoo Sports, which adds that multiple players with the Cincinnati Reds “felt sick Sunday” after a teammate tested positive for COVID-19 the day before.
Miami Marlins beat reporter Craig Mish tweeted Monday morning that he’s waiting to hear if the 2020 MLB season has been canceled, and that he’s received multiple texts indicating that the season is “in jeopardy.”
Waiting to hear if the 2020 MLB season has been cancelled. Nothing definitive yet. “In jeopardy” seems to be the most texted term to me in the last 30 minutes.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 27, 2020
However, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman is hearing that the MLB season will continue as planned. For now, at least.
Since the outbreak has been confined to the Marlins thus far, there’s been no serious discussion at this point about pausing/suspending the season. Marlins-Orioles game tonight is canceled and Phillies-Yankees game may well be canceled as well. But that’s it to this point.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2020
The New York Yankees were scheduled to play the Phillies in Philadelphia beginning Monday, but The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the league has already called off that game.
Tonight’s Yankees-Phillies game is cancelled, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2020
Meanwhile, because so many members of the Marlins have tested positive and need to quarantine, the only chance their season resumes is by calling up at least 10 players from the minor leagues, according to Mish.
If the Miami Marlins are to continue their season, it will be with a minimum of 10 players from their alternate camp site. Few with big league experience, many with none. They will also need alternate coaches. Some with no big league coaching experience as well.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 27, 2020
The potential outbreak and spread of the virus goes beyond the players, as Craig Melt, who covers the Phillies for the Athletic, reports that the entire Phillies visiting clubhouse staff is being quarantined after being exposed to the Marlins over the weekend.
What this means for the Twins and the rest of the teams in the big leagues is unknown long term. As of now, the Twins are scheduled for an off day Monday before hosting the St. Louis Cardinals in the Home Opener Tuesday at Target Field.
The Twins are off to a fast start as they won two of three games against the White Sox over the opening weekend, and in doing so they scored an MLB-high 27 runs and mashed a league-leading seven home runs – picking up where they left off after last summer’s record-setting 307 homers.
