Brewers' Lorenzo Cain Opts Out of 2020 MLB Season Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

As the coronavirus continues to have a profound impact on the 2020 Major League Baseball season, Milwaukee Brewers star Lorenzo Cain has opted out of playing.  

Brewers general manager David Stearns issued a statement Saturday about Cain's decision, while Cain later released his own statement, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com:

In the 10 days since MLB's regular season started, the overwhelming story has been about the COVID-19 cases on multiple teams, which has led to significant changes to the schedule.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported Friday that the Miami Marlins were "getting multiple sleeper buses" to transport players and staff members who have tested positive for the virus from Philadelphia, where the team has been quarantined since its season-opening series last weekend, to Miami.

MLB on Tuesday postponed the Phillies' two series against the New York Yankees "out of an abundance of caution."

The Marlins and Phillies haven't played since Sunday.

Per The Athletic's Mark Saxon, the St. Louis Cardinals had three staff members and one player test positive for COVID-19. The Cardinals had announced Friday that two players tested positive for the virus, causing MLB to postpone their game against the Brewers until Sunday.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told MLBPA executive director Tony Clark on Friday that the season could be shut down if positive cases weren't contained.

The season began July 23 and is scheduled to end Sept. 27, leading into an expanded 16-team postseason.

Cain appeared in five of Milwaukee's six games. The 34-year-old hit .333/.429/.389 in 18 at-bats.