Another Marlins player has tested positive for COVID-19 infection, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). His identity is not known at this time.
It’s not altogether surprising to see additional positive tests arising, given the incubation period of the disease and multiple potential chains of transmission. In this case, Rosenthal says, contract tracing efforts had already identified the particular player as likely to have been exposed.
That doesn’t change the gravity of the situation. With this test, Rosenthal says, we’re now up to 17 players from the 30-man active roster and/or 3-man taxi squad that are carrying the virus.
There are many implications of this outcome. For one thing, it seems clear that the Marlins’ anti-transmission measures were insufficient. The team’s protocols — and/or individuals’ commitments to following them — not only failed to prevent an initial infection, but also did not tamp down the spread within the organization.
At a minimum, the Marlins will now have yet another roster spot that it needs to fill with a plausible MLB player. The team has been removed from play for the time being; whether and when it will resume remains to be seen and could yet depend upon whether further players end up registering positive tests.
Most importantly, hopefully these guys all make full recoveries.
As for the on-field product though, how do you adequately replace 17 guys by Monday without rushing prospects? That may cause some service time implications, too.
i dont think they are playing until later now. i think they moved Philly’s series with the Yankees to next week.
Darkside, but it will take some time to recover and have two negative tests. They will have to rush players and there will be service time implications for players that would normally not be in the major leagues.
Seems more likely their games will remain suspended until the bulk of their players on the COVID-IL are cleared to resume playing.
Though double-headers can help make up some ground, Miami may simply not play 60 games this season.
Outlaw.
All very good points.
they should probably just take some tylenol like Freeman and then theyll be okay
The short answer is lots of waiver claims, and hopefully some of those 17 are clear by then. Some have reportedly already tested negative, and two consecutive negative tests would allow them to play.
Pick up guys off waivers most likely
They grabbed two pitchers off waivers from the Reds.
I believe Jorge Alfaro and a few other players quarantine should be ending in a day or two. They claimed a few pitchers off of Waivers, and they have a good amount of non prospects in the minors such as Eddy Alvarez, Sean Rodriguez, Kosuke Katoh. Lewis Brinson will most likely get the call too. They have the weekend to make more claims, trades, etc.
About 18/33 are on the IL/quarantine correct? So they really only need to replace 15, not 18. It’s still a lot but I think they can field a team without having to dip into Lewin Diaz or Monte Harrison. Although, they were going to make their debut this year anyways, it’s a perfect time to do so once the deadline has passed for them to get that extra year of service time.
Hopefully this will be a wake up call to organizations and the players. This is not business as usual. If you can’t act responsibly, then opt out.
This is going to be the hardest season ever. Props to the team that comes out on top during this disastrous season.
PREDICTION: The Blue Jays (who had their summer camp in Canada) face the team with the best AA players in the World Series of Attrition.
Where are you now, Bartolo?
Staying home ’cause he’s high risk
The only person at risk when dealing with Colon are hitters’ batting averages and the ladddddiiiieeeeessss hearts
That would be awesome to see him come back
Miami needs to move it’s home facility ASAP. Nashville seems like a great spot to land. Rent one of those 50 bedroom cabins in smokies. Let em all isolate there and then pick up ball again once everyone quarantines for a couple weeks
Bot, you are making an assumption that this is a Miami problem. Protocols were not followed. We don’t know what protocols were broken.
Players in any city who act irresponsibly can get this virus. Heck, even if they act responsibly, the can get this virus.
Has that been confirmed? I know there were some rumors, of a strip club in Atlanta, but I never saw that confirmed. We don’t necessarily know that anyone acted irresponsibly. That’s assuming too.
Players broke protocols. That we know. Since I was once a male in my 20s, I would suspect it had to do with their libidos, but I don’t know.
They were in Atlanta for a game or two before going to Philly. So it’s not like they bubbled in Miami and went straight to Philly.
Cancel just the Marlins’ season and void the games against the Phillies that they played. Such would require everything to be based on winning percentage but what else would be fair?
That’s not fair. The Phillies clearly lost 2 games. You can’t give them a blank slate. But if you eliminate the Marlins from play, I guess you’d have to. You can’t have 2 losses against a team that won’t be playing anyone else in the division.
Actually, you could easily do standings based upon winning percentage rather than wins. This would actually make sense while protecting players and arms later on instead of rushing to get 60 games in with double headers or zero days off. There really aren’t enough scheduled off days to accommodate canceled or postponed games.
But, if you played less games then percentages would have a higher variance. Teams that played more would have a better chance (of course they would need to win). It’s the same as a batting average change in the beginning of the year vs the end of the year.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but shouldn’t Mattingly be suspended? Yeah MLB should’ve been responsible for stopping them from playing with multiple positive tests but that seems so obvious that the Marlins should’ve done it themselves. MLB shouldn’t have to enforce teams to wear batting helmets because that is such a no brainer. Mattingly should have taken charge as the MANAGER of the team and not let them play.
The other thing, COVID-19 is not just randomly appearing in clubhouses. Players or coaches are bringing it in from somewhere. Players refused MLB’s recommended “bubble”, which has worked perfectly for the NBA, and really have not been doing much of any social distancing or anything in the dugout. They need to take responsibility and act a little more selflessly. You never know which teammates are more prone to the virus.
Doesn’t the NBA have a mandatory bauble?
If players are going to “socialize” what happened in Miami will happen again.
Two biggest differences between an NBA and MLB ‘bubble’: the playing area needed and the sheer number of people needed to just hold one contest.
NBA needs two 10 man teams, officials and staff.
MLB probably needs at least 3 times that many involved.
Then factor in 3 times as much lodging and even more local residents that would be needed to support all if their daily needs.
Empty stadiums and clubhouses yet players are clustered in the dugout. Distancing these guys should be the least of Major League Baseball’s problems. Unfortunately, this is MLB we are talking about. Granted, that wouldn’t solve travel concerns,
How about the NHL pulling off a bubble then? They have around 30 man rosters i believe. I think I remember that MLB wanted to do a bubble but the MLBPA or at least the players refused
It has been reported that a player or players went out partying in Atlanta when they were there for exhibition games prior to the start of the season. So it wasn’t random, At least one of the players did in fact bring it into the clubhouse. Players did not want the “bubble” but then it is incumbent on them to behave themselves at home and on the road. Apparently they did not on the Marlins. Would hope this serves as a reminder to everyone that it is important to follow protocols.
Not sure if the league can fine players for not following the protocols but they certainly could fine or suspend the manager. Though not going to be too hard on him. There really were not guidelines from the league on how to handle a team playing when a player or players test positive. Which is why the players voted among themselves. The decision on playing should be a league decision, not a player or manager decision.
Magic City wings are wreaking havoc on the NBA and MLB. Must be some good wings!
tigerdoc616, the “reporting” so far has been USA Today’s Bob Nightengale saying, “I believe” and “I think” players broke protocol and were out partying. Without any evidence to back up his claim, that’s pure speculation and, frankly, seems rather irresponsible of him and a poor display of journalistic integrity.
Maybe he’s correct, but there’s not even a smoking gun so far. Maybe a guy got it from a family member who got it at the grocery store. We just don’t know.
i agree. Mattingly and Rojas should probably get 2-3 games each (though Rojas’s can probably be voided by an IL placement, that’s enough punishment)
OK, wait…you want MLB to suspend Mattingly for not making a decision that MLB, not Mattingly, should make?
It’s Manfred’s job, not Mattingly’s.
But – he didn’t know. If someone rests positive they have to be killed automatically. It now not like mattingly let them play after testing positive.
Instead of rescheduling, they should be required to forfeit the games they don’t play due to this until they have enough healthy players to field a team.
That wouldn’t be fair to teams that don’t play the Marlins. This integrity of this season will be doubted as is. Why throw more fuel on the fire?
Most teams would have beat the Marlins anyway
Not necessarily. They are improved and anyone can win on a particular day. Assuming you’re a Padres fan, how would you feel is your team missed the post-season or had its playoff positioning affected because the Braves, Mets, Nationals, and Phillies racked up a bunch of wins by forfeit?
Like the Phillies did?
Just canceling the season seems to be the most normal solution
It’s difficult to imagine that not happening. While we’d like to think the players have learned their lesson, human nature suggests otherwise. Many of these guys think they’re indestructible. Let’s hope no one else gets seriously injured before the plug is eventually pulled. There have already been a few.
Cey Hey.
“While we’d like to think the players have learned their lesson, human nature suggests otherwise.”
Maybe you are right, but there is an “i’ve got your back” mentality that I’m hoping is more powerful than the need to socialize.
Time will tell.
Halos011Fan, How are the Angels during re social distancing in the dugout? In the final pre-season game, they seemed to be doing much better than the Dodgers. From my view, the Dodgers are still clustering too close for comfort.
Cey Hey all teams. It seems like the air high five and no spitting rule was dispatched day 1.
Says the Mets fan, who’s team is actually training BEHIND the Marlins!
Cancel the season based on the actions a few players? That doesn’t make any sense.
Players have to act responsibly. Now if this was caused by players acting responsibly and following protocols, then you would have a point. But that doesn’t appear to be the case in this circumstance.
well yeah, but are what is “normal” this year? if you’re expecting normal in 2020 maybe you’ll find it on another planet, but not here.
Marlins season should be cancelled AND they should have to pay whatever additional expenses the Yankees and Phillies have incurred.
The Marlins (and the entire city state of Florida for that matter) clearly didn’t take COVID seriously. Players obviously did not adhere to many if any of the protocols outlined by MLB, and it seems likely their screening team did not either.
To say mistakes were made would be an understatement. It seems these were deliberate flagrant violations and MLB should not reward them in the slightest
While I don’t disagree, violations would have to be proved. That would involve yet another full-scale investigation for a sport whose integrity is already under fire. From cheating Astros players to unpopular rule changes to fighting over money during a pandemic and now this. It’s one public-relations nightmare after another with this sport.
Only one today? Hope this is the
tail end of it.
It is close to the end. There aren’t many players left.
Well good, let’s wrap this up. Send in Kintzler!
They might have to activate their two fans.
Maybe they should party in Atlanta? Anyways, I thought with these current issues going down, the teams would have been locked down more.
Should not have partied
They should cancel the season for the Marlins. They’re not going to make the postseason anyways.
They were already sporting a triple-A team on the field, what comes next will be college-level.
Simply delete the Marlins from the rest of this season and give teams on their schedule a win..
Covid19 still better to have than v.d.
They could always kick out the marlins and let the jays play there. Just saying
@marlinsfanbase
Hoping you get called up to the bigs, man. Don’t forget the little people when you do.
They should field a team from their alternate group, give them a roster exception to allow them to play on.