MLB cancels 2 Marlins games after 11 players test positive; Yankees-Phillies game also scrubbed

The delayed and shortened MLB season isn’t even a week old, but there have been three game cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic and now there are reports that league officials are holding an emergency meeting to discuss the pandemic’s effect on the season.

Update 7:02 p.m. EDT July 27: Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Marlins’ home games against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday and Tuesday were postponed after 11 Miami players tested positive for the coronavirus.

“The Miami Marlins will not play their two games in Miami tonight and tomorrow,” Manfred told Tom Verducci on MLB Network. “We’re doing some additional testing. If the testing results are acceptable, the Marlins will resume play in Baltimore on Wednesday against the Orioles.”

Update 4:16 p.m. EDT July 27: The Miami Marlins’ home opener against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed Monday after 13 Miami Marlins -- including 11 players -- tested positive for the coronavirus, the Miami Herald reported.

“The health of our players and staff has been and will continue to be our primary focus as we navigate through these uncharted waters,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in a statement Monday. “After a successful Spring 2.0, we have now experienced challenges once we went on the road and left Miami. Postponing (Monday’s) home opener was the correct decision to ensure we take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation. We have conducted another round of testing for our players and staff, and our team will all remain in Philadelphia pending the results of those tests, which we expect later today. We will provide additional information as soon as it becomes available.”

Under MLB guidelines, players will be isolated from the team until they test negative twice at least 24 hours apart, show no symptoms for 72 hours, and receive approval from team doctors, WPVI reported.

“The members of the Marlins’ traveling party are self-quarantining in place while awaiting the outcome of those results,” MLB said in a statement. “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.”

Original report: The apparent discussions came after not only the Miami Marlins vs. Baltimore Orioles home opener scheduled for Monday was canceled, but also the game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Marlins played the Phillies over the weekend in Philadelphia before more than a dozen players, coaches and staff in the Marlins’ organization tested positive for the coronavirus, CBS Sports reported.

The Yankees had been slated to travel to Philadelphia for Monday’s game and another game on Tuesday before flipping cities and returning to New York for another two games, KYW reported.

The Phillies staff that work in the visitors’ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park has to be quarantined because of the Marlins’ outbreak, according to KYW.

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