Report: 1 More Marlins Player Tests Positive for COVID-19, Brings Total to 16
The Miami Marlins are reportedly up to 16 positive COVID-19 cases among players in an outbreak that's temporarily halted their 2020 season.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the update Wednesday after the latest round of testing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Two coaches had also previously tested positive:
All Marlins games through Sunday were postponed. The club was scheduled for a four-game, home-and-home series with the Baltimore Orioles followed by hosting the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals for a three-game set beginning Friday.
Miami could resume play Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Marlins CEO Derek Jeter released a statement Monday after the team's home opener was called off:
"The health of our players and staff has been and will continue to be our primary focus as we navigate through these unchartered waters. After a successful Spring 2.0, we have now experienced challenges once we went on the road and left Miami. Postponing tonight’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."
Along with games involving the Marlins, the Philadelphia Phillies will be sidelined until at least Saturday after facing Miami in a season-opening series last weekend, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on the MLB Network on Monday to discuss the outbreak. He said the protocols "allow us to continue to play through those positives," but he added there could be a point where a certain team or the league as a whole could have to shut down:
"I think that a team losing a number of players that rendered it completely non-competitive would be an issue that we would have to address and have to think about making a change. Whether that was shutting down a part of the season, the whole season, that depends on the circumstances. Same thing with respect to league-wide; you get to a certain point league-wide where it does become a health threat and we certainly would shut down at that point."
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported no team other than the Marlins has registered a positive COVID-19 test since last Thursday, though.
The MLB season moves forward with 14 games on the Wednesday night schedule.
