Editor’s note: This story first appeared on AMNY.com
Monday night’s series opener between the Phillies and Yankees in Philadelphia was canceled Monday morning following the Miami Marlins’ coronavirus outbreak in Philadelphia over the weekend, per multiple reports.
During the Phillies’ three-game home-opening series against Miami over the weekend, approximately 14 members of the Marlins reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The team is currently quarantined in Philadelphia where they will undergo further testing.
Major League Baseball quickly canceled the Marlins’ home opener originally scheduled for Monday night against the Baltimore Orioles before pulling the plug on the Yankees and Phillies’ meeting.
“Tonight’s scheduled games between the Miami Marlins and Baltimore Orioles at Marlins Park and the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park have been postponed while Major League Baseball conducts additional COVID-19 testing,” the league said in a statement. “The members of the Marlins’ traveling party are self-quarantining in place while awaiting the outcome of those results. Major League Baseball has been coordinating with the Major League Baseball Players Association; the Marlins; the Orioles; the Marlins’ weekend opponent, the Phillies; and Club medical staffs, and will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”
A new date has not been disclosed as of yet — though a double-header is a logical option considering MLB is trying to fit a 60-game schedule into just 66 days.
The Phillies will likely have to pass a series of COVID-19 tests to get the green light to resume play while the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park that the Marlins used will be thoroughly cleaned for the Yankees’ arrival.
As of now, those are the only two games affected by the Marlins’ outbreak. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, because this was limited to only the Marlins, “there’s been no serious discussion at this point about pausing/suspending the season.”
