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COVID-19 outbreak occurred within the Marlins organization while they were in Philadelphia playing the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in the opening series of the 2020 season.
Marlins remain in Philadelphia. One of previous team members to test positive had a subsequent test come back negative, source says. Would need two negatives at least 24 hours apart to become eligible to return. https://t.co/EG0HkVib9P
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
July 28, 2020 - Marlins CEO Derek Jeter releases a statement (11:46am - Monday)
Statement from @Marlins CEO Derek Jeter. @MLBNetwork @MLB pic.twitter.com/7mboaHIGAp
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi)
July 27, 2020 - Ken Rosenthal reports Phillies-Yankees has been canceled (10:33am - Monday)
Tonight’s Yankees-Phillies game is cancelled, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
July 27, 2020 - On Monday morning, the news broke that 14 members of the Miami Marlins tested positive for the coronavirus. As a result, the Marlins and Orioles game was canceled on Monday.
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 Source: Marlins’ game tonight against Orioles in Miami has been cancelled. Team still in Philadelphia.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)
July 27, 2020 The Marlins played the Phillies on Sunday night, and both teams were aware that four Marlins players tested positive. Marlins manager Don Mattingly said his team “never really considered not playing.”
NBCSportsPhiladelphia's Jim Salisbury was on with Angelo Cataldi and the Morning Team when news broke about the Marlins outbreak. He was asked if the Marlins can continue their season this year:
"I don't know," said Salisbury, "They have these 60-man player pools but they just lost, what, eight big leaguers?"
"They were in the Phillies home ballpark. Guys were taking leads off of first base, Rhys Hoskins was holding them on. Bryce Harper, who has not been a mask-wearer, donned a mask while leading off first base yesterday. The Phillies received a group text message in the morning to the effect that we are hearing things on the other side, there might be some problems over there so please take your precautions. I don't know what is going to happen. This is going to be a very watershed day in this whole COVID/baseball experience."
Matt Gelb reported that the Phillies are quarantining their visiting clubhouse staff members in an effort to keep safe. The Yankees, who arrived in Philadelphia last night for Monday's game, brought along their own clubhouse staff.
Reports have indicated the Phillies clubhouse was "disinfected" following the Marlins departure.
Sources: The Phillies are quarantining their entire visiting clubhouse staff after exposure to the Marlins this weekend. Some were tested yesterday and waiting for results. Yankees brought their own clubhouse staff to Philly last night.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb)
July 27, 2020 In an article for The Athletic, Jayson Stark and Ken Rosenthal contacted two infectious-disease specialist to ask them a number of questions, including plausible outcomes for the Marlins:
"Both (Dr. John) Swartzberg and (Dr. Zachary) Binney said that if they were advising Major League Baseball, they would recommend hitting the pause button on the Marlins’ season, most likely for the next two weeks. But there are no specific standards within the health and safety protocols that trigger the shutdown of a team or all teams. That decision is solely in the hands of commissioner Rob Manfred."
