Just days into Major League Baseball's 2020 season, one team has already experienced a coronavirus outbreak that has caused multiple games to be postponed. On Friday, the Miami Marlins COVID-19 outbreak grew again as another player tested positive for the coronavirus, per Daniel Alvarez Montes. The Marlins are now up to at least 20 reported positive cases of COVID-19 between players and coaches who traveled with the team since Opening Day, including 18 total players testing positive.
Miami's traveling party remains quarantined in Philadelphia, however, that may soon change. ESPN's Jesse Rogers said that infected players will be traveling back to Miami by bus.
The Philadelphia Phillies, who hosted the Marlins over the weekend at Citizens Bank Park, also had their four-game mid-week series vs. the Yankees and their three-game weekend series vs. the Blue Jays postponed. The Phillies announced a pair of positive tests (for a coach and a home clubhouse staff member) on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, MLB released a statement about the Marlins situation:
"The health and safety protocols were designed with a challenging circumstance like the one facing the Marlins in mind. The response outlined in the joint MLB-MLBPA Operations Manual was triggered immediately upon learning of the cluster of positive cases, including contact tracing and the quarantining and testing of all of the identified close contacts. The Marlins' personnel who tested positive remain in isolation and are receiving care."
Marlins CEO Derek Jeter also released a statement saying the team is shifting to a daily testing schedule.
Revised schedules
Here is a look at the revised schedule. It's worth noting that the Phillies were supposed to be the "road" team when the Blue Jays visited Citizens Bank Park this weekend. The Blue Jays' 2020 home venue in Buffalo won't be ready for major-league games until Aug. 11.
| DATES | MARLINS | PHILLIES | NATIONALS | ORIOLES | YANKEES | Blue Jays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tues., July 28 |
|
| at TOR |
|
| vs. WSH |
Weds., July 29 |
|
| at TOR |
|
| vs. WSH |
Thurs., July 30 |
|
| at TOR |
|
| vs. WSH |
Fri., July 31 |
|
| | vs. TB | vs. BOS | |
Sat., Aug. 1 |
|
| | vs. TB | vs. BOS | |
Sun., Aug. 2 |
|
| | vs. TB | vs. BOS | |
Mon., Aug. 3 | OFF | OFF | OFF | vs. NYY | at BAL | OFF |
Tues., Aug. 4 | vs. PHI | at MIA | vs. NYM | vs. NYY | at BAL | at ATL |
To recap:
- All Marlins games have been postponed through Sunday (including scheduled series against Baltimore and Nationals).
- Phillies-Yankees home-and-home series has been postponed.
- The Yankees will play the Orioles in Baltimore on Wednesday and Thursday.
- Miami's next game (as of right now) would be on Aug. 4 against the Phillies.
- Washington will not plays any games this weekend.
- The Phillies will not play their three-game series against the Blue Jays after two staff member tested positive.
How did the Marlins get here?
The Marlins first had a positive test result on Opening Day, when Jorge Alfaro was placed on the injured list shortly before the team's season opener in Philadelphia. Here's a timeline of what happened between then and Monday.
Friday, July 24 (Opening Day vs. Philadelphia)
- Jorge Alfaro tests positive and misses opener. No other Marlins have positive results.
Sunday, July 26
- Three other players, including scheduled starter Jose Urena reportedly test positive. Urena is scratched from his Sunday start. The rest of the team learns about the positive tests, but decides to play Sunday's game as scheduled.
- The Marlins do not travel home as scheduled after winning the series finale at Citizens Bank Park. Instead, the team stays in Philly and awaits another round of test results.
Monday, July 27
- Another round of testing shows a full-blown outbreak for the Marlins. Eleven players test positive for COVID-19, and reportedly at least 14 total team members are positive.
- MLB postpones the Marlins' Monday night home opener vs. the Orioles in Miami, and the team stays quarantined in Philadelphia.
Tuesday, July 28
- Four more players tested positive.
- The Marlins remain quarantined in Philadelphia.
- One player who previously tested positive now tested negative, per Ken Rosenthal.
- The league issued a press release announcing the Marlins aren't going to play until Monday, Aug. 3.
Wednesday, July 29
- Another Miami player tests positive, per Ken Rosenthal. That brings the team total to 18 positive COVID-19 tests: 16 players and two coaches.
- Miami's Opening Day starter Sandy Alcantara among the players to test positive, according to Jon Heyman.
Thursday, July 30
- Another Marlins players tests positive, per Ken Rosenthal. Now, that brings the team total to 19 positive COVID-19 tests: 17 players and two coaches. Although, one of the coaches has since tested negative, Rosenthal adds.
- The Phillies received two positive tests in their latest round of COVID-19 testing. No players tested positive but one member from the coaching staff and one member of the home clubhouse staff tested positive.
- The Phillies canceled their workout activities and soon after, the Phillies-Blue Jays three-game series was postponed.
Friday, July 31
- Another Marlins player tests positive, according to Daniel Montes Alvarez. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that Marlins are acquiring sleeper buses to take infected players and personnel back to Miami. The healthy remainder of the team will embark on a road trip.