- Fourteen members of the Miami Marlins – 12 players and two coaches – have tested positive for COVID-19.
- The news came just a day after the Marlins played a game against the Phillies despite having four known cases of COVID-19 on the team.
- The Marlins’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles has been canceled, and the MLB season could be at risk.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The Miami Marlins were aware of four positive cases of COVID-19 in the clubhouse heading into Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
On Monday morning, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, that number had jumped to 14 cases, with 12 players and two coaches testing positive.
Eight more players and two coaches with the Miami Marlins have tested positive for COVID-19, as an outbreak has spread throughout their clubhouse and brought the total of cases in recent days to at least 14, sources familiar with the situation tell me and @JesseRogersESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2020
While the Marlins won their game against the Phillies, 11-6, it’s unclear when the team will take the field again. The Marlins were scheduled to play their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday but postponed their flight back to Miami from Philadelphia on Sunday night as they awaited further test results.
By Monday morning, nearly half of the clubhouse had tested positive for COVID-19.
The outbreak within the Marlins affects several teams across MLB.
The Orioles were scheduled to play four straight games against the Marlins this week, and the Phillies are likely to be cautious until getting their next round of test results back. The New York Yankees, who were scheduled to face off against the Phillies on Monday using the same visiting locker room that the Marlins used a day earlier, may also not be eager to take the field.
Many speculated that the season could be canceled soon, citing the language in the agreement between the players and the league that allowed games to begin in the first place.
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
Under agreement MLB Comissioner Manfred has power to suspend/cancel season if a team or teams suffer an outbreak and competitive integrity is compromised
— Karl Ravech (@karlravechespn) July 27, 2020
MLB and the players' union made the mutual decision to try to play a season this year, and those two entities share the ethical responsibility of pausing, postponing or cancelling if that's what is in the best interests of players and staffers. The Marlins' situation tests this.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 27, 2020
The outbreak in the Marlins' clubhouse also is a bad omen for other sports hoping to begin this fall outside a bubble, including the NFL and college football.
While the NBA, MLS, and the NWSL have all shown it's possible for the bubble plan to work, just three days into the return of the first team American sport that included travel, the season is already in doubt.
- Read more:
LeBron James group is spending $100,000 to pay off court debts so that ex-felons in Florida can vote