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    David Price Rips MLB's Rob Manfred: 'Players Health Wasn't Being Put First'

    Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured ColumnistJuly 27, 2020

    Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher David Price gets the baseball back from his catcher as he warms up during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Monday, March 2, 2020, in Goodyear, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
    Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

    Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher David Price—who opted out of the 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic—criticized MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday, tweeting that the safety of the league's players wasn't put first in the plan to start the season.

    David Price @DAVIDprice24

    Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first. Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed.

    His tweet comes in the wake of 11 players and two coaches on the Miami Marlins testing positive for the coronavirus in the past four days, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

    Due to those positive tests, Major League Baseball canceled Miami's upcoming game against the Baltimore Orioles as well as the game between the Philadelphia Phillies—who just played a three-game series against the Marlins—and New York Yankees. 

    The major question is why the Phillies and Marlins played at all Sunday:

    Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra

    How many of those players had close contact with Phillies players? With stadium staff? With bus drivers? With hotel staff? Why, when more than 10% of the roster was already positive and more tests were outstanding, were they allowed to circulate freely like this?

    The secondary question is whether the league will have to consider canceling the season altogether if the positive test results began spreading beyond the Marlins. That decision ultimately falls to Manfred. 

    David Price Rips MLB's Rob Manfred: 'Players Health Wasn't Being Put First'
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    Mike Ferrin @Mike_Ferrin

    Here’s what Rob Manfred told @dpshow on what it would take to consider shutting down the season https://t.co/HPJnGTPhC7 https://t.co/XimeLQtCFT

    Karl Ravech @karlravechespn

    Under agreement MLB Comissioner Manfred has power to suspend/cancel season if a team or teams suffer an outbreak and competitive integrity is compromised

    When Price opted out of the season earlier in July, he said it was "in the best interest of my health and my family's health for me to not play this season." 

    David Price @DAVIDprice24

    https://t.co/eqQNi8FE29

    Price, 34, was traded to the Dodgers in the blockbuster deal that also saw Mookie Betts head to Los Angeles from the Boston Red Sox. Price went 7-5 in 22 starts for the Red Sox last season, finishing with a 4.28 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 128 strikeouts in 107.1 innings.