Are we about to see the 2020 Major League Baseball season be canceled after just one weekend of action?
It’s a legitimate question to ask after what’s happened to the Miami Marlins. And it’s one commissioner Rob Manfred has to consider.
On Sunday, multiple reports indicated four Marlins tested positive for COVID-19. Yet the team played its scheduled game anyway against the Philadelphia Phillies on the road, with the Marlins set to fly back for their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.
On Monday morning, however, the Marlins found out that — per USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale — “as many as 12” members of the team (players and coaches) had tested positive, and Tuesday’s game was canceled:
The #Marlins have a widespread outbreak and their game has been cancelled, as @Ken_Rosenthal reported.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 27, 2020
The #Marlins remain in Philadelphia with as many as 12 of their players and coaches having tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 27, 2020
Of course, this is a humongous disaster, a nightmarish scenario for the league. Let’s ask some other questions that need answering:
1. What do the Marlins do now?
They’re still in Philadelphia. How long do they stay there? What does MLB do about their upcoming schedule? This tweet from an epidemiologist is one answer:
Jesus Christ. I mean…
Jesus Christ.
I don't have much else to stay. This data speaks for itself.
The @Marlins have a full-blown outbreak and have to shut down (at least their non-satellite team) for two weeks. No debate here. https://t.co/qwRn8UeLbn
— Zachary Binney, PhD (@zbinney_NFLinj) July 27, 2020
Which leads us to …
2. Could the Marlins could get the players currently in Jupiter to take the place of the Major League team?
That was one thing ESPN’s Jeff Passan wondered about before the outbreak news broke:
Could the Jupiter Marlins taxi squad end up playing the Orioles in Miami, while the regular Marlins stay in Philadelphia amid a COVID-19 outbreak? https://t.co/dNbL8Mwy82 pic.twitter.com/zbzQZpaeDh
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 27, 2020
If the Marlins cancel two weeks’ worth of games, the season is over for everyone. You can’t have a whole 2020 if every team doesn’t play its slate of games, especially in a year when the league shoehorned 60 games into 66 days after weeks of battling over prorated salaries and rules. There’s no margin for error here.
3. What about the Phillies and the team that’s coming to play them next?
They’re scheduled to host the New York Yankees on Monday night. If you were a Yankees player knowing full well a team with an outbreak just played, would you step foot in there even if this was the case? Do the Phillies need to quarantine too?
Phillies visiting clubhouse is being fumigated “50 different ways” with Marlins there all weekend as a Yankees prepare to go in there. Phils-Yanks hasn’t been canceled yet but it’s a possibility.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2020
4. What about other teams around the league?
The Reds may also have a serious problem — Matt Davidson tested positive, and both Mike Moustakas and Nick Senzel reportedly felt ill on Sunday, with Moustakes going on the injured list.
5. Should MLB have canceled Sunday’s Marlins-Phillies game?
Yes. Yes it should have.
You’re getting the picture here. After just a few days of regular-season action, 2020 hangs in the balance.
For more on this story, head over to USA TODAY Sports.
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