MIAMI (AP) – Two major league games scheduled for Monday night were postponed when the Miami Marlins dealt with a coronavirus outbreak that left them stranded in Philadelphia.
The Marlins ‘first game against Baltimore was suspended, as was the New York Yankees’ game in Philadelphia. The Yankees would have been in the same clubhouse that the Marlins used last weekend.
The Marlins postponed their flight home on Sunday night after the end of their series against the Phillies.
A person familiar with the decision to postpone the Marlins-Orioles game told The Associated Press that the move was made due to health precautions. A second person confirmed the Yankees-Phillies game postponement. Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the postponements had not been announced by Major League Baseball.
Marlins pitcher Jose Urena has scratched from his scheduled start in Sunday’s game, and catcher Jorge Alfaro entered the disabled list on Friday. No reasons were given for the moves, but manager Don Mattingly said those who tested positive would be quarantined in Philadelphia.
The Marlins’ precarious health raised new questions about MLB’s ability to end the season during a pandemic. In Cincinnati, Reds second baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Nick Senzel felt ill on Sunday, the day after a teammate entered the disabled list because he tested positive for COVID-19.
Some Marlins players texted each other about the team’s health problems before Sunday’s game, but there was no talk of refusing to play, shortstop Miguel Rojas said.
“That was never our mindset,” said Rojas. “We knew this could happen at some point. We came to the stadium ready to play. “
Mattingly said: “It is fair to say that the boys are concerned about things. They want to know how they feel about the situation to be heard. I think it’s fair. We are talking about health. “
The Marlins played exhibition games in Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Braves, who have since been without their two best receivers, Tyler Flowers and Travis d’Arnaud, after both players showed symptoms of COVID-19. Mattingly declined to say if he thought the Marlins’ health problems were related to the Atlanta stop.
Miami is a hot spot for the pandemic, but on Sunday Mattingly said he feels safer there.
“You feel safe at the ballpark; I feel safe with my surroundings going home, ”he said. “It is much more terrifying on the road.”
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AP Sports writers David Ginsburg in Baltimore and Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
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