- The
Miami Marlins have postponed their scheduled games through Sunday after an outbreak of 17 positiveCOVID-19 cases. - The Marlins had four known cases when they played the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday and saw that number quickly jump as more tests were administered and returned through Tuesday morning.
- While the
MLB 's plan is to have the Marlins resume their schedule next week, that may be overly optimistic. - Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez of Miami-Dade country recommended a two-week quarantine for the team.
The Miami Marlins season is on hold after an outbreak of 17 positive cases of COVID-19 and it is unclear when they will be able to play again.
In a statement, MLB announced that all games on the Marlins schedule through Sunday had been postponed, meaning their series against the Orioles and Nationals would have to wait until later in the year.
"Given the current circumstances, MLB believes that it is most prudent to allow the Marlins time to focus on providing care for their players and planning their Baseball Operations for a resumption early next week," the league wrote in a statement.
In addition to the changes to the Marlins schedule, the league also announced that the Phillies would postpone their games as scheduled through Thursday. The Phillies played against the Marlins on Sunday while Miami had known cases of COVID-19 within the clubhouse.
MLB noted that no new cases have been found from players across the other 29 teams in the league out of more than 6,400 tests conducted since Friday, and said that the outbreak within the Marlins clubhouse was a reminder of the importance of following the protocols the league had put in place.
"The difficult circumstances of one Club reinforce the vital need to be diligent with the protocols in all ways, both on and off the field," the league wrote. "We will continue to bolster our protocols and make any necessary adjustments. The realities of the virus still loom large, and we must operate with that in mind every day. We are confident that Clubs and players will act appropriately, for themselves and for others, and the data provides reason to believe that the protocols can work effectively."
While the league's statement indicated that it hopes to have the Marlins back on the field at some point next week, it's unclear whether or not they'd be able to host a game in Miami, as Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez recommended the team take part in a 14-day quarantine.
—Andy Slater (@AndySlater) July 28, 2020
When the MLB decided to go on with the 2020 season outside of a bubble, a team going through an outbreak of COVID-19 cases was an inevitability. Now with the Marlins down nearly half their clubhouse, the league's plan to play through a pandemic is getting its first true test.
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